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Read,  Hollis,  1802-1887.    ' 
The  hand  of  God  in  history 


I 


OUZ--^^ 


THE 


HAID  OF  &0D  II  HISTORY; 


DIVINE  PROVIDENCE  HISTORICALLY  ILLUSTRATED 


THE   EXTENSION    AND    ESTABLISHMENT 


€l)rt0tianttp 


BY     HOLLIS     READ,    A.M. 

AUTHOR    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN   BRAHMUN,    AND    LATE    MISSIONARY    OF 
THE    AMERICAN    BOARD. 


'That  all  the  people  of  the  earth  might  know  the  hand  of  the  Lord, 

THAT  IT  IS  MIGHTY." — Josh.  \\ .  24. 


HARTFORD: 
H.    E.    ROBINS    AND    CO. 

1850. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1849, 

By  HOLLIS  READ,  A.M. 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Connecticut 


STEBEOTYPED  BT 

RICHARD    H.    HOBBS, 

HARTFORD,   CONN. 


PREFACE. 


"  The  history  of  the  world  is  gradually  losing  itself  in  the 
history  of  the  church."  "  The  full  history  of  the  world  is  a 
history  of  redemption."  "  In  no  period  of  the  history  of 
redemption,  not  even  when  preparing  the  fullness  of  time  for 
the  Messiah's  advent,  has  the  providence  of  God  been  more 
marked  than  of  late  years,  in  its  bearing  on  the  extension  of 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom."  "  The  providence  of  God,  in 
respect  to  this  work,"  says  another,  "  would  form  one  of  the 
most  interesting  chapters  in  the  history  of  his  government." 
"  To  the  casual  observer  of  Providence,  to  the  ordinary  reader 
of  this  world's  history,  the  whole  appears  like  a  chaos  of 
incidents,  no  thread,  no  system,  no  line  of  connection  running 
through  it.  One  course  of  events  is  seen  here,  and  another 
there.  Kingdoms  rise  on  the  stage  one  after  another,  and 
become  great  and  powerful,  and  then  pass  away  and  are  for- 
gotten. And  the  history  of  the  church  seems  scarcely  less  a 
chaos  than  that  of  the  world.  Changes  are  continually  going 
on  within  it  and  around  it,  and  these  apparently  without 
much  order." 

Yet  all  is  not  a  chaos.  The  Christian  student,  with  his 
eye  devoutly  fixed  on  the  Hand  of  God,  looks  out  upon  the 
world,  and  back  on  the  wide  field  of  its  history,  and  takes 


IV  PREFACE. 

altogether  a  different  view.  What  before  seemed  so  chaotic 
and  disorderly,  now  puts  on  the  appearance  of  system  and 
form.  All  is  animated  by  one  soul,  and  that  soul  is  Provi- 
dence. 

The  writer  of  the  following  pages  believes  his  subject 
timely.  Perhaps  as  never  before,  the  minds  of  the  most 
sagacious  writers  of  our  age  are  watching  with  profound  and 
pious  interest  the  progress  of  human  events.  The  aim  of  the 
author  has  been  to  make  the  work  historical  at  least  so 
abounding  in  narrative,  anecdote,  biography,  and  in  the  de- 
lineations of  men  and  things  in  real  life,  as  to  commend  it  to 
the  general  reader ;  and  at  the  same  time  to  reveal  at  every 
step  the  Hand  of  God  overruling  the  events  of  history,  to 
subserve  his  one  great  end  :  an  attempt  to  contribute  a  mite  to 
rescue  history  from  the  melancholy  abuse  under  which  it  has 
lain  almost  to  the  present  time.  History,  when  rightly 
written,  is  but  a  record  of  providence  ;  and  he  who  would  read 
history  rightly,  must  read  it  with  his  eye  constantly  fixed  on 
the  hand  of  God.  Every  change,  every  revolution  in  human 
affairs,  is,  in  the  mind  of  God,  a  movement  to  the  consumma- 
tion of  the  great  work  of  redemption.  There  is  no  doubt  at 
the  present  time,  a  growing  tendency  so  to  write  and  so  to 
understand  history.  And  if  the  writer  has  contributed  any 
thing  to  advance  a  consummation  so  devoutly  to  be  wished, 
he  will  feel  that  he  has  not  labored  in  vain. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  following  pages,  the  writer  has  felt 
his  mind  constantly  burdened  with  the  magnitude  of  the  sub- 
ject. It'  has  seemed  too  mighty  to  grapple  with,  and  pain- 
fully conscious  has  he  been  of  his  inability  to  do  it  justice. 
Originating  as  it  did,  in  the  perplexity  he  felt,  as  a  friend  of 
Christian  missions,  in  the  inadequacy  of  any  means  now  em- 
ployed, or  hkely  soon  to  be  employed,  to  secure  the  evangel- 
ization of  the  world,  and  in  the  many  fluctuations  of  the  mis- 


PREFACE.  V 

sionary  enterprise,  he  has  been  led  to  trace  out  the  Divine 
agency,  which  has,  in  every  age  of  Christianity,  been  em- 
ployed to  carry  forward  the  work.  With  his  eye  fixed  on  the 
hand  of  God,  as  engaged  to  consummate  his  plans  of  mercy 
through  the  cross,  he  has  for  the  last  seven  years  made  his 
reading  of  history  subservient  to  the  work  which  he  now  ven- 
tures to  offer  to  the  public  ;  hoping  he  has  struck  out  a  course, 
and  gathered  a  mass  and  variety  of  facts  in  illustration  of  his 
position,  which,  while  it  shall  do  something  to  magnify  in  the 
minds  of  his  people  the  power  and  grace  of  God,  to  confirm 
their  hopes,  and  give  confidence  in  the  sure  and  final  triumph 
of  the  gospel,  shall  contribute  something  to  aid  abler  pens  to 
consummate  what  he  has  begun. 

Hartford,  May,  1849. 


SOME  OF  THE  AUTHORS  CONSULTED. 


Hallam's  Middle  Ages. 

Robertson's  Charles  V.,  and  his  Ancient  India. 

Guizot's  History  of  Civilization. 

W.  C.  Taylor's  Natural  History  of  Society. 

Gibbon's  Rome. 

Prescott's  Ferdinand  and  Isabella. 

Bancroft's  History  of  United  States. 

D'Aubigne's  History  of  the  Reformation. 

Edwards'  History  of  Redemption, 

Titler's  Universal  History. 

American  Encyclopedia. 

Mosheim's  Church  History 

Gessler's  Church  History. 

Hume's  History  of  England. 

Allison's  Modern  Europe. 

Mills'  Mohammedanism. 

Foster's  Mohammedanism  Unveiled. 

Milman's  Church  History. 

Harris'  Great  Commission. 

Smith's  and  Choules'  History  of  Missions. 

Moffatt's  South  Africa. 

Williams'  Missionary  Enterprises. 

Missionary    Herald  —  Reports    of    Benevolent 

Societies. 
Dr.  Duff's  India,  and  India  Missions. 
Dr.  Grant's  Nestorians,  and  the  Lost  Tribes. 
Prof.  Tholock— Dr.  Baird— Bishop  Wilson. 
Lorimer's  Protestant  Church  of  France. 
Bingham's  Sandwich  Islands. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 
PREFACE. 3 


CHAPTER  I. 

Introduction.  General  illustrations  of  Providential  Agency :  Joseph — Moses — 
Esther— Daniel.  History  an  exponent  of  Providence.  Ezekiel's  wheel.  John's 
sealed  Book.  Pentecost.  Persecution  about  Stephen— about  Paul.  Dispersion 
of  the  Jevrs.  The  Roman  Empire.  Introduction  of  the  Gospel  into  Abyssinia- 
Iberia— Britain— Bulgaria.    Our  plan.    Christianity  progressive. 11 


CHAPTER  II. 

Art  of  Printing— Paper-making— Mariner's  Compass.  The  Discovery  of  America, 
at  precisely  the  right  time:  a  new  field  for  Christianity.  First  settlement. 
Romanists.  None  but  Puritan  seed  takes  deep  root  here.  Character  of  the 
first  settlers.  Geographical  position.  Capabilities  and  resources  of  America. 
Language,  Intelligence,  Political  supremacy.    Coal.    Steam.   A  cloud.     -    •    -    •  31 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Reformation.— General  remarks— state  of  Europe  and  the  world.  The 
crusades— their  cause  and  effect.  Revival  of  Greek  literature  in  Europe.  The 
Arabs.  Daring  spirit  of  inquiry.  Bold  spirit  of  adventure.  Columbus.  The 
Cabots.  Charles  V.  Henry  VIII.  Francis  I.  Leo  X.  Rise  of  liberty.  Feud- 
alism.   Distribution  of  political  power. 53 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Reformation.  Europe  clamors  for  reform.  Causes.  Abuses.  Boniface 
VIII.  The  Great  Schism.  Infallibility.  Bad  moral  character  of  Popes— Alex- 
ander VI.  Leo  X.  Elector  of  Saxony.  Early  Reformers.  Waldenses— Nes- 
torians.  The  Reformation  a  necessary  eflFect — a  child  of  Providence.  Martin 
Luther ;  his  origin,  early  education,  history.  Finds  the  Bible.  His  conversion. 
Luther  the  preacher— the  Theological  Professor— at  Rome.  "Pilate's  stair- 
cam."    Compelled  to  be  a  Reformer.    His  coadjutors.    Opposition.    Results.* 


Vm  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Page. 
Japheth  in  the  tents  of  Shem :  or,  the  Hand  of  God,  as  seen  in  the  opening  away  to 
India  by  the  way  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  The  posterity  of  Japheth.  The 
Portuguese  empire  in  the  East— its  extent  and  extinction.  Designs  of  Provi- 
dence in  opening  India  to  Europe — not  silks  and  satins,  but  to  illustrate  the  evil 
of  Idolatry,  and  the  inefficacy  of  false  religions  and  philosophy  to  reform  men. 
The  power  of  true  religion. 85 


CHAPTER  YL 

God  IN  HISTORY.  The  Church  safe.  Expulsionof  the  Moors  from  Spain.  Transfer 
of  India  to  Protestant  hands.  Philip  II.  and  Holland.  Spanish  invincible 
Armada.  The  bloody  Mary  of  England.  Dr.  Cole  and  Elizabeth  Edmonds. 
Cromwell  and  Hampden  to  sail  for  America.  Return  of  the  Waldenses  and 
Henry  Arnaud.  Gunpowder  plot.  Cromwell's  usurpation.  Revolution  of  1688. 
James  11.  and  Louis  XIV.    Peter  the  Great.    Rare  constellation  of  great  men,  -  100 


CHAPTER  YII. 

-J  God  in  Modern  Missions.— Their  early  history.  Benevolent  societies.  The 
Moravians.— English  Baptist's  society.  Birmah  Missions.  David  Bogue  and  the 
London  Missionary  Society.  Captain  James  Wilson  and  the  South  Sea  Mission. 
The  tradition  of  the  unseen  God. — Success.  Destruction  of  Idols. — Gospel 
brought  to  Rurutu — Aitutaki — Rarotonga — Mangaia — Navigators'  Islands.      -    -  122 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Modern  Missions  continued.— Henry  Obookiah  and  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Van- 
couver and  the  Council.  Dr.  Vanderkemp  and  South  Africa.  Africaner. 
Hand  of  God  in  the  Origin  of  Benevolent  Societies.  Remarkable  preservation 
of  Missionaries. 136 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Hand  of  God  in  facilities  and  resources  by  which  to  spread  Christianity.  The 
supremacy  of  England  and  America  :  prevalence  of  the  English  language,  and 
European  manners,  habits  and  dress.  Modern  improvements;  facilities  for 
locomotion.    Isthmus  of  Suez  and  Dari  en.    Commercial  relations.    Post-Office.  •  156 


CHAPTER  X. 

Hand  op  God  in  facilities  and  resources.  General  peace.  Progress  of  know- 
ledge, civilization  and  freedom.  The  three  great  obstacles  essentially  removed, 
Paganism,  the  Papacy,  and  Mohammedanism.  •    -    -    -    - 176 


CONTENTS.  IX 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Page. 
The  field  prepared.    General  Remarks ;— First,  Papal  countries,  or  Europe ; 
their  condition  now,  and  fitly  years  ago.    France— the  Revolution— Napoleon. 
1845,  an  epoch — present  condition  of  Europe.    Character  of  her  monarchs.   Cath- 
olic countries ;— Spain  and  Rome— Austria— France,  an  open  field.     France  and     -,. 
Rome,    Geneva.    Benevolent  and  reforming  societies.    Religion  in  high  places.        \ 
Mind  awake.    Liberty.    Condition  of  Romanism  and  Protestantism.     -    •    -    -  196  ' 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Continued.  Second,  Pagan  Countries.  Paganism  in  its  dotage.  Fifty  years 
ago  scarcely  a  tribe  of  Pagans  accessible.  1793,  another  epoch.  Pagan  nations, 
how  accessible.  Facilities.  War.  The  effective  force  in  the  field.  Resources 
of  Providence  in  laborers,  education,  and  the  press.  Toleration.  Success. 
Kirshnuggar.    South  India. 221 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  FIELD  prepared.  Islands  of  the  Pacific.  Native  agency.  Liberality  of  native 
Churches.  Outpouring  of  the  Spirit  and  answers  to  Prayer.  The  first  Monday 
of  January.  Timing  of  things.  England  in  India— her  influence.  Success,  a 
cumulative  force  for  progress.    The  world  at  the  feet  of  the  Church. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Mohammedan  countries  and  Mohammedanism.  The  design,  origin,  character 
success,  extent  of  Islamism.  Mohammed  a  Reformer — not  an  Impostor. 
Whence  the  power  and  permanency  of  Mohammedanism  \  Promise  to  Ishmael 
—hope  for  him.  The  power  of  Islam  on  the  wane.  Turks  the  watch-dogs  of 
Providence,  to  hold  in  check  the  Beast  and  the  Dragon.  Turkish  reforms — 
Toleration— Innovations— A  pleasing  reflection. 255 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Hand  op  God  in  the  Turkish  Empire.  The  Turkish  Government  and  Chrig- 
tianity.  Mr.  D  wight's  communication.  Change  of  the  last  fifty  years.  Destruc- 
tion of  the  Janizaries.  Greek  Revolution.  Reform.  Death  of  Mahmoud.  The 
Charter  of  Gul  Khaneh.  Religious  Liberty.  Persecution  arrested.  Steam 
Navigation  in  Turkey.  Providential  incidents.  Protestant  Governments  and 
Turkey.  Their  present  Embassadors.  Foreign  Protestant  Residents.  Late  ex- 
emption from  the  plague. 274 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Page. 

Africa,  the  land  of  paradoxes— Hope  for  Africa.  Elements  of  renovation— Anglo- 
Saxon  influence— Colonizing— The  Slave  Trade  and  Slavery— Commerce. 
A  moral  machinery— education,  the  Press,  a  preached  Gospel.  Free  Govern- 
ment. African  Education  and  Civilization  Society.  The  Arabic  Press.  African 
langUEiges.    -•.. -•  290 


CHAPTER  XYII. 

The  Armenians— their  history,  number,  location.  Dispersion  and  preservation  of 
the  Armenians.  The  American  Mission  ;  Asaad  Shidiak ;  exile  of  Hohannes. 
The  great  Revival    The  Persecution,  and  what  God  has  brought  out  of  it.     •    -SIS 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

The  Jevps.    Providential  features  of  their  present  condition,  indicating  their  pre- 
paredness to  receive  the  Gospel. 332 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  Nestorians— their  country,  number,  history.  The  Ten  lost  Tribes.  Early 
conversion  to  Christianity.  Their  missionary  character.  The  American  Mis- 
sion among  them.  Dr.  Grant  and  the  Koordish  mountains.  The  massacre. 
The  great  Revival— extends  into  the  mountains.  The  untamed  mountaineer. 
A  bright  day  dawning. 351 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Eprope  IN  1848.  The  Mission  of  Puritanism— in  Europe.  The  failure  of  the  ref- 
ormation. Divorce  of  Church  and  State.  The  moral  element  in  Government. 
Progress  of  liberty  in  Europe ;  religious  Liberty.  Causes  of  the  late  European 
movement.    The  downfall  of  Louis  Philippe.    What  the  end  shall  be.  -    -    -      - 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Remarkable  providences— small  beginnings  and  great  results.  Abraham. 
Joseph.  Moses.  David.  Ruth.  Ptolemy's  map.  Printing.  The  Mayflower. 
Bunyan.  John  Newton.  The  old  marine.  The  poor  Choctaw  boy.  The 
linen  seller.  Russian  Bible  Society.  The  little  girl's  tears,  and  Bible  Societies. 
Conclusion. 

A  usT  of  some  of  the  Authors  consulted. 


HAND  OF  GOJ)  IN  HISTORY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Introduction.  General  illustrations  of  Providential  Agency :  Joseph— Moses— Esther- 
Daniel.  History  an  exponent  of  Providence.  Ezekiel's  wheel.  John's  sealed  Book. 
Pentecost.  Persecution  about  Stephen — about  Paul.  Dispersion  of  the  Jews.  The 
Roman  Empire.  Introduction  of  the  Gospel  into  Abyssinia— Iberia— Britain— Bul- 
garia.   Our  plan.    Christianity  progressive. 

"  Behold^  how  great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kindletV^ — James,  ii.  5. 

A  YOUNG  shepherd  boy,  as  he  tends  his  father's  flocks 
on  the  hills  of  Palestine,  dreams  a  dream.  No  strange 
event  this,  and,  accustomed  as  he  was  to  gaze  on  the  starry- 
concave,  not  strange  that  he  should  dream  of  the  sun, 
moon  and  stars — or  that  it  should  have  been  interpreted 
of  his  future  greatness,  or  that  his  brethren  should  on  this 
account  hate  him — or  that  Joseph  should  be  sold  a  slave 
into  Egypt.  Here  seemed  an  end  of  the  whole  matter. 
The  exiled  youth  would  soon  wear  out  in  bondage,  un- 
known and  unwept;  a  disconsolate  father  go  down  to 
the  grave  mourning,  and  the  posterity  of  Jacob  cultivate 
their  fields,  and  watch  their  flocks,  forgetful  that  this  out- 
rage to  humanity  ever  disgraced  the  annals  of  their  family 
history.  But  not  so  the  mind  of  God.  Joseph  is  en- 
slaved— accused  of  crime — thrown  into  prison.  Yet  in 
that  dark  cell  is  nourished  the  germ  of  hope  to  the  church 
of  the  living  God.  Israel  should  grow  up  on  the  banks 
of  the  Nile,  and  spread  his  boughs  to  the  river,  and  his 
branches  to  the  sea.  The  eye  of  God  was  here  steadily 
fixed  on  the  advancement  of  his  church. 

Again,  something  is  seen  floating  amidst  the  flags  of 
the  river  of  Egypt.  A.  servant  woman  is  ordered  to  bring 
it.     It  is  an  ark  of  rushes.     Thousands  of  Hebrew  chil- 


12  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY, 

dren  had  perished  uncared  for ;  but  now,  as  by  accident, 
one  is  found  and  introduced  into  the  palace  of  the  king 
and  to  the  court.  He  is  educated  in  all  the  learning  of 
the  Egyptians,  and  schooled  in  the  discipline  needful  to 
make  him  a  legislator  and  a  military  leader.  With  what 
care  did  God  watch  that  little  rush  bark,  and  with  what 
consummate  skill  order  every  event,  till  he  had  reared  up 
Moses,  and  fitted  him  to  act  a  more  prominent  part  in  the 
advancement  of  his  cause  than  any  mortal  had  acted 
before. 

Or,  an  obscure  female  is  born  in  Persia.  At  an  early 
age  she  is  left  an  orphan.  An  uncle  adopts  her,  and  hopes 
she  may  yet  solace  his  declining  years.  She  is  beautiful, 
lovely,  modest — yet  nothing  points  her  out  to  any  envia- 
ble station  above  the  thousands  of  the  daughters  of  Persia. 
To  all  human  forethought  she  would  live  and  die'unknown 
as  she  was  born.  But  the  church  of  God  is  scattered 
throughout  the  hundred  and  twenty  and  seven  prov- 
inces of  Persia.  Esther  is  a  daughter  of  the  captivity ; 
and  God  would  raise  up  some  guardian  spirit  to  save  his 
people  from  an  impending  danger,  and  honor  them  in 
the  sight  of  the  heathen.  The  palace  of  Shushan,  and 
the  gorgeous  court  of  the  Shah,  shall  stand  in  awe  of 
Esther's  God.  By  a  singular  train  of  circumstances  the 
obscure  orphan  is  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  king — finds 
favor,  and  is  called  to  share  with  him  the  honors  of  his 
throne.  And  what  deliverances  she  wrought  for  her  peo- 
ple— how  she  brought  them  out  from  their  long  obscurity, 
and  gave  them  notoriety  and  enlargement,  and  prepared 
the  way  for  their  restoration  to  their  native  land  and  to 
the  Holy  Hill  of  Zion,  is  known  to  all  who  have  traced 
the  hand  of  Providence  in  this  portion  of  Sacred  History. 

Again,  a  youth  of  nineteen  years  is  carried  captive  to 
Babylon.  But  there  was  nothing  singular  in  this.  Thou- 
sands of  every  age  and  rank  had  been  forced  away  from 
their  native  hills  and  valleys  of  Palestine,  the  victims  of 
unsuccessful  war.  But  the  time  had  come  when  God 
would  proclaim  his  name  and  his  rightful  claims  to  sover- 
eignty from  the  high  battlements  of  the  greatest  of  earthly 
potentates.  Again  he  would  magnify  his  church  in  the 
sight  of  all  nations.     Hence  Daniel's  captivity — hence 


PROVIDENCE    AND    HISTORY.  13 

that  youthful  saint  prayed  and  exemplified  an  enlightened, 
unbending  piety,  till  the  king  and  his  court,  the  nobles 
and  the  people,  publicly  acknowledged  the  God  of  Daniel,  ■ 
and  "  blessed  the  Most  High,  and  praised  and  honored 
him  that  liveth  forever,  v^^hose  dominion  is  an  everlasting 
dominion,  and  his  kingdom  is  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion." 

"  Providence  is  the  light  of  history  and  the  soul  of  the 
world."  "  God  is  in  history,  and  all  history  has  a  unity 
because  God  is  in  it."  "  The  work  of  Redemption  is  the 
sum  of  all  God's  providences." 

In  the  following  pages,  an  attempt  is  made  to  present, 
within  prescribed  limits,  an  historical  illustration  of  the 
Hand  of  God  as  displayed  in  the  extension  and  establish- 
ment  of  Christianity.  And  the  author  will  compass  his 
end  in  proportion  as  he  may  contribute  any  thing  to  a 
right  apprehension  of  history — of  the  divine  purposes  in 
the  vicissitudes  and  revolutions  of  human  affairs,  discern- 
ing in  the  records  of  all  true  history  the  one  great  end, 

"  For  which  all  nature  stands, 
And  stars  their  courses  move." 

All  veritable  history  is  but  an  exponent  of  Providence  ; 
and  it  cannot  but  interest  the  mind  of  intelligent  piety, 
to  trace  the  hand  of  God  in  all  the  changes  and  revolu- 
tions of  our  world's  history.  All  are  made  beautifully  to 
subserve  the  interests  of  the  church ;  all  tend  to  the  fur- 
therance of  the  one  great  purpose  of  the  Divine  mind ; 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  redemption  of  man.  He  that 
would  rightly  study  history  must  keep  his  eye  constantly 
fixed  on  the  great  scheme  of  human  salvation.  History, 
however,  has  been  written  with  no  such  intent.  "  The 
first  thing  that  it  should  have  shown  is  the  last  thing  that 
it  has  shown.  The  relation  of  all  events  to  God's  grand 
design  is  by  most  historians  quite  overlooked."  All  past 
history  is  but  the  unravelling  of  God's  eternal  plan  re- 
specting our  race.  The  whole  course  of  human  events 
is  made  finally  to  subserve  this  one  great  purpose.  The 
philosophy  of  history  can  be  learned  only  in  the  labora- 
tory of  heaven — with  the  eye  fixed  on  the  Hand  that 

2 


14  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

moves  the  world,  and  the  spirit  in  harmony  with  the  great 
Spirit  that  animates  the  universe. 

It  is  only  when  we  see  God — Christ — redemption,  in 
history,  that  we  read  it  in  the  light  of  truth.  "  This  is 
the  golden  thread  that  passes  through  its  entire  web,  and 
gives  it  its  strength,  its  lustre  and  consistency." 

With  beautiful  propriety  the  Prophet  Ezekiel  prefaces 
his  predictions  with  a  striking  delineation  of  Divine  Provi- 
dence. Or  rather  God  prepares  the  prophet's  mind  to 
become  the  vehicle  of  the  most  extraordinary  series  of 
predictions  concerning  his  people,  by  a  vision  emblemat- 
ical of  Providence.  It  came  under  the  simiUtude  of  a 
"  wheel,"  or  a  sphere  made  of  a  "  wheel  in  the  middle  of 
a  wheel." 

A  whirlwind  and  a  cloud  appear  in  the  north,  illumined 
with  a  brightness  as  of  fire.  Out  of  the  midst  of  the  cloud 
appears  the  likeness  of  four  living  creatures ;  each  has  four 
faces  ;  four  wings,  and  hands  under  their  wings ;  straight 
feet  like  the  ox ;  and  the  four  faces  are  severally  like  the 
face  of  a  man,  of  a  lion,  of  an  ox  and  an  eagle,  denoting 
wisdom,  strength,  swiftness  and  obedience.  Their  wings 
are  raised  and  joined  one  to  another,  and  when  they  move 
they  move  "  straight  forward,"  as  directed  by  the  Spirit, 
and  they  turn  not  as  they  go.  These  may  be  taken  to 
represent  the  viinisters  of  Providence — angels,  with  ready 
wing  to  obey  the  behests  of  Heaven — intent  on  their  er- 
rands of  mercy  or  of  wrath — turning  neither  to  the  right 
hand  or  the  left,  subject  to  no  mistakes,  hindered  by  no 
obstructions — and  all  their  movements  directed  by  one 
great  Mind.  "  Whither  the  Spirit  was  to  go,  they  went ; 
they  run  and  return  as  the  appearance  of  a  flash  of 
lightning." 

By  the  side  of  these  was  a  wheel  or  sphere,  composed 
of  a  "wheel  within  a  wheel."  This  may  be  regarded  as 
an  emblem  of  Divine  Providence.  The  wheel  had  four 
faces — looked  every  way,  moved  every  way ;  was  con- 
nected with  the  living  creatures,  and  moved  in  perfect 
harmony  with  them ;  was  full  of  eyes — never  moved 
blindly  or  by  chance ;  its  operations,  though  endlessly 
diversified  in  detail,  were  harmonious  in  action  and  one 
in  their  end,  for  all  were  guided  by  one  great,  controlling 


PROVIDENCE    INCOMPREHENSIBLE.  15 

Agent.  The  wheels  had  a  regular,  uniformly  onward 
movement — no  turning  aside  or  turning  back  ;  and  so 
enormous  were  they  in  circumference  that  their  "  height 
was  dreadful." 

And  such  is  God's  Providence — a  scheme  for  carrying 
out  purposes  high  as  heaven,  and  lasting  as  eternity — vast, 
profound  in  the  conception,  sublime  in  result,  and,  like 
God  himself,  omniscient,  omnipresent  and  omnipotent. 
God  is  the  soul  of  Providence. 

The  general  appearance  of  this  singular  mechanism 
was  like  unto  the  color  of  a  beryl — azure — ocean-like. 
Providence  like  the  ocean  ! — an  apt  and  beautiful  allusion. 
The  ocean,  broken  only  here  and  there  by  a  few  large 
patches  of  land  sitting,  as  it  were,  on  its  heaving 
bosom,  stretches  from  pole  to  pole,  and  from  equator 
to  equator ;  is  all-pervading,  never  at  rest,  irresistible. 
It  ebbs  and  flows ;  has  its  calms  and  tempests,  its  depres- 
sions and  elevations.  Whether  lashed  into  fury  by  the 
storm,  or  sleeping  tranquilly  on  its  coral  bed,  it  is  accom- 
plishing its  destined  end.  It  washes  every  land  ;  its  va- 
pors suffuse  the  entire  atmosphere ;  its  waters,  filtered 
through  the  earth,  are  brought  to  our  door,  and  distribu- 
ted through  every  hill  and  valley. 

Common  and  useful  as  the  ocean  is,  we  are  but  par- 
tially acquainted  with  its  utility,  and  so  boundless  is  it 
that  human  vision  can  take  in  but  a  mere  speck  of  its 
whole  surface.  We  stand  on  its  shore,  or  sit  on  some 
little  floating  speck  on  its  bosom,  and,  save  a  little  lake 
or  pond  that  heaves  in  restless  throes  about  us,  the  ocean 
itself  lies  beyond  the  field  of  our  vision,  shut  out  by  the 
azure  curtain  of  the  encircling  sky. 

And  such  is  Providence — a  deep,  unfathomable  deep — 
none  but  the  omniscient  eye  can  fathom  it — none  but  in- 
finite Wisdom  can  scan  its  secret  recesses  ;  so  boundless, 
everywhere  active,  all-influential,  that  none  but  the  infi- 
nite Mind  can  survey  and  comprehend  its  wonder-work- 
ing operations  ;  so  mighty,  all-controlling,  irresistible,  that 
nothing  short  of  omnipotence  can  guide  it.  Like  the  sea, 
Providence  has  its  flows  and  ebbs,  its  calms  and  tempests, 
its  depressions  and  elevations.  At  one  time  we  ride  on 
the  swelling  bosom  of  prosperity.     The  tide  of  life  runs 


16  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

high  and  strong.  The  sunbeams  of  health  and  joy  gHsten 
in  our  tranquil  waters,  and  we  scarcely  fear  a  disturbing 
change.  Again  the  tide  sets  back  upon  us.  Disappoint- 
ment, poverty,  sickness,  bodily  or  mental  affliction,  throw 
Hfe  and  all  its  enjoyments  in  the  ebb.  We  are  tossed  on 
the  crested  billow,  or  lie  struggling  beneath  the  over- 
whelming wave.  Like  the  sea,  Providence  is  not  only 
the  minister  of  the  Divine  mercy,  but  of  the  Divine  dis- 
pleasure, executing  judgments  on  the  froward  and  disobe- 
dient :  a  minister  of  discipline,  too,  casting  into  the  fur- 
nace of  affliction,  that  it  may  bring  out  the  soul  seven 
times  purified.  We  can  see  but  little  of  its  boundless 
surface,  or  sound  but  little  of  its  unfathomable  depths. 

"  And  I  saw  in  the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  on  the 
throne  a  book  written  within  and  on  the  back  side,  sealed 
with  seven  seals.  And  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming 
with  a  loud  voice,  Who  is  able  to  open  the  book  and  to 
loose  the  seals  thereof?  And  no  man  in  heaven,  nor  in 
earth,  neither  under  the  earth,  was  sible  to  open  the  book. 
And  I  wept.  And  one  of  the  elders  said  unto  me,  Weep 
not :  behold,  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root  of 
David,  hath  prevailed  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the 
seven  seals  thereof."  This  book  was  an  ancient  roll, 
composed  of  seven  distinct  parts — (the  number  seven  de- 
noting universality  ;)  so  rolled  as  to  leave  an  end  of  each 
on  the  outside,  which  was  sealed  with  a  separate  seal. 
The  book  was  written  within — reserved  in  the  keeping 
of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne — held  in  the  right  hand 
of  Omnipotence — the  understanding  and  unfolding  of  its 
secrets  was  committed  only  to  the  Son,  the  Lion  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah.  None  could  "look  thereon,"  or  take  it 
from  the  right  hand  of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne, 
but  the  Lamb  that  stood  in  the  "  midst  of  the  throne." 

This  is  another  apt  and  beautiful  emblem  of  Divine 
Providence.  As  mediatorial  King,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
undertakes  the  unrolling  of  this  mysterious  scroll — the 
unfolding  of  the  eternal  purposes  of  Jehovah — the  con- 
trolling of  all  events,  and  the  ordering  and  overruling  of 
all  the  vicissitudes  and  revolutions  in  human  affairs,  to 
the  carrying  out  of  the  Divine  purposes.  It  was  a  book 
of  seven  chapters,  some  of  which  are  divided  into  sections 


HISTORY    AND    THE    CHURCH.  17 

as  marked  by  the  seven  trumpets,  the  seven  thunders  and 
the  seven  vials  of  the  seven  last  plagues. 

The  Lamb  takes  the  book — becomes  the  executor  of 
the  Divine  will  in  his  purposes  of  mercy  to  man  :  "  Lo ! 
I  come  in  the  volume  of  the  book  as  it  is  written  of  me, 
I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God."  "  And  when  he 
had  taken  the  book,"  and  thereby  engaged  to  execute  the 
magnificent  scheme  of  the  Divine  Mind,  the  four  living 
creatures  and  the  four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down  before 
the  Lamb,  having  harps,  and  golden  vials  full  of  odors, 
which  are  the  prayers  of  saints.  And  they  sung  a  new 
song,  saying,  thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to 
open  the  seals  thereof." 

Then  follows,  in  awful  succession,  scene  after  scene  in 
the  sublime  drama,  till  John  had  witnessed,  in  shadowy 
outline,  as  in  a  moving  panorama  before  him,  the  great 
events,  political  and  ecclesiastical,  which  should  transpire 
in  coming  time — reaching  forward  to  the  end  of  the 
present  dispensation  or  the  full  establishment  of  Messiah's 
kingdom.  Holding  in  his  hand  the  book  of  God's  pur- 
poses, the  Lamb  rides  forth,  King  and  Conqueror,  in  the 
chariot  of  God's  providences.  In  a  word,  the  solution  of 
the  dark  sayings  of  this  book — the  evolving  of  the  Di- 
vine purposes  concerning  the  scheme  of  grace,  is  to  be 
sought  in  the  progress  and  final  triumph  of  ImmanueVs 
kingdom. 

Whoever  will  read  the  history  of  the  world  and  of  the 
church  of  God,  with  his  eye  fixed  on  the  providential 
agency  which  everywhere  overrules  the  events  of  the  one 
to  the  furtherance  and  well-being  of  the  other,  will  see 
all  history  illuminated  by  a  light,  and  animated  by  a  spirit, 
of  which  the  mere  chronicler  of  historical  events  knows 
nothing.  He  will  feel  that  history  has  a  sacred  philoso- 
phy— that  he  is  standing  in  the  council  chamber  of  eter- 
nity, reading  the  annals  of  infinite  Wisdom  and  Mercy,  as 
blended  and  developed  in  the  great  work  of  human  re- 
demption. He  will  see  in  all  history  such  a  shaping  of 
every  event  as  finally  to  further  the  cause  of  truth. 
Events  apparently  contradictory  often  stand  in  the  rela- 
tion of  cause  and  effect.  A  Pharaoh  and  a  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, an  Alexander  and  a  Nero,  a  Domitian  and  a  Bor- 

2* 


18  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

gia,  Henry  the  VIII.  and  Napoleon,  men  world-renowned, 
yet  oftentimes  prodigies  of  wickedness,  are  in  every  age 
made  the  instruments  and  the  agents  to  work  out  the 
scheme  of  His  operations  who  maketh  the  wrath  of  man 
to  praise  him.     "  Howbeit  they  mean  not  so." 

The  Lord's  portion  is  his  people ;  Jacob  is  the  lot  of 
his  inheritance.  He  found  him  in  a  desert  land  and  in  a 
waste,  howling  wilderne  ^s ;  he  led  him  about,  he  in- 
structed him,  he  kept  him  as  the  apple  of  his  eye.  As 
an  eagle  stirreth  up  her  nest,  fluttereth  over  her  young, 
spreadeth  abroad  her  wings,  taketh  them,  beareth  them 
on  her  wings ;  so  the  Lord  alone  did  lead  him.  He  has 
engraven  him  on  the  palms  of  his  hands.  By  some  anom- 
aly of  nature  a  mother  may  forget  her  sucking  child,  but 
God  will  not  forget  his  inheritance  in  Jacob.  -  The  earth 
changes  ;  the  sea  changes  ;  change  is  the  order  of  all  ter- 
restrial things.  They  appear  and  pass  away,  and  we 
scarcely  know  they  have  been.  But  not  so  with  the 
church  of  God.     As  He  lives  so  she  shall  live. 

The  Lord  w^ent  before  them  by  day  in  a  pillar  of  cloud 
to  lead  them,  and  by  night  in  a  pillar  of  fire  to  give  them 
light ;  a  beautiful  emblem  of  a  superintending  Providence 
over  his  church.  And  "he  has  never  taken  away  the 
pillar  of  cloud  by  day  or  the  pillar  of  fire  by  night."  By 
his  sleepless  energy  he  has  prepared  the  way  before  them, 
and  led  them  by  his  own  right  hand.  For  their  sakes  he 
has  made  and  unmade  kings — formed  and  dissolved  em- 
pires— cast  down  and  discomfited  enemies,  and  raised  up 
friends. 

It  shall  be  our  delightful  task  to  trace  the  footsteps  of 
Providence  in  the  extension  and  establishment  of  the 
church.  While  much  has  been  done  for  the  spread  of 
the  true  religion  by  missionary  effort,  much  more  has  been 
done  through  the  direct  agency  of  Providence.  Illustra- 
tions crowd  upon  us  unsought :  a  few  of  which,  as  iso- 
lated cases,  shall  be  allowed  to  fill  up  our  first  chapter. 

1.  Peter  and  the  Pentecost.  I  do  not  here  refer  di- 
rectly to  the  extraordinary  outpouring  of  the  spirit  on 
that  day,  or  to  the  great  number  of  converts,  but  to  the  re- 
markable concurrence  of  circumstances,  which  made  that 
a  radiating  point  of  the  newly  risen  Sun  of  Righteousness 


PAUL  IN  ROME.  19 

to  most  of  the  nations  of  the  earth.  Had  not  the  Parthi- 
ans  and  the  Medes,  the  Arabians  and  the  dwellers  in 
Mesopotamia — devout  men  out  of  every  nation  under 
heaven,  been  there,  the  influence  of  that  occasion  had 
been  confined  within  a  narrow  province.  But  as  the  event 
was,  the  gospel  flew  as  on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  through 
all  the  countries  represented  in  Peter's  assembly  on  that 
memorable  day.  And  as  the  apostles  afterwards  trav- 
ersed those  same  regions,  they  found  the  glad  tidings  of 
Pentecost  had  gone  before  them  as  pioneers  to  their  suc- 
cess, and  harbingers  of  peace  to  welcome  the  more  per- 
fect establishment  of  Messiah's  kingdom.  All  this  was 
purely  providential — a  conjunction  of  circumstances  to 
bring  about  results  which  should  be  felt  over  the  whole 
known  world. 

2.  The  persecution  which  arose  about  Stephen.  Its  im- 
mediate and  obvious  result  was  a  cruel  persecution  against 
the  whole  church,  scattering  abroad  the  disciples  through 
all  the  neighboring  nations.  The  ultimate  and  more  glo- 
rious result — the  providential  aspect  and  design,  was  that 
they  should,  wherever  dispersed,  go  preaching  the  gospel. 
The  converts  of  Pentecost  now  need  to  be  reinforced, 
strengthened  and  encouraged ;  and  they  who  had  sat 
longer  at  the  feet  of  the  apostles,  and  learned  the  way  of 
life  more  perfectly,  were  sent  to  strengthen  the  things 
that  were  ready  to  perish.  Where  was  the  smoking  flax 
they  fanned  it  to  a  flame  ;  where  the  flickering  lamp,  they 
replenished  it  from  the  horn  of  salvation.  And  the  gos- 
pel, too,  was  by  this  means  introduced  and  estabhshed  in 
other  regions.  They  that  had  long  sit  in  the  land  of 
the  shadow  of  death,  light  shined  on  them. 

3.  Paul's  being  carried  prisoner  to  Rome.  Rome  was 
the  imperial  city,  the  metropolis  of  the  world.  Judea, 
the  cradle  of  Christianity,  was,  on  the  other  hand,  but  an 
insignificant  province ;  the  Jews,  a  hated  people,  and  the 
founder  of  Christianity,  was  contemned  as  a  crucified 
malefactor.  But  Jesus  of  Nazareth  shall  be  known  and 
honored  at  Rome.  Her  seven  hills  shall  be  as  the  seven 
golden  candlesticks  to  send  the  light  of  truth  abroad. 
But  with  man  this  was  impossible.  There  were  Chris- 
tians in  Rome  ;  yet  Rome  was  a  proud,  pagan  city.     The 


20  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

church  and  her  envoys  were  equally  in  bad  repute.  Her 
excellencies  were  unknown,  and  her  beauties,  as  dimly 
seen  through  the  fogs  of  ignorance  and  prejudice,  were 
unappreciated.  But  the  religion  of  Calvary  shall  be 
honored  at  Rome — there  shall  be  a  church  in  the  "  house- 
hold of  Caesar."  That  great  pagan  empire  shall  yield  to 
the  cross,  and  her  proud  capital  shall  be  the  radiating 
point  of  light. 

It  is  fit,  then,  that  the  prince  of  the  apostles  should  go 
there — that  his  puissant  arm  should  wield  the  sword  of 
the  Spirit  amidst  those  giant  powers  of  darkness — that 
his  voice  should  be  heard  in  the  forum,  and  his  eloquence 
plead  in  the  palace  of  Csesar.  But  how  can  this  be  ? 
God  had  a  way — Paul  must  be  arrested  in  the  midst  of 
his  successful  mission  in  Asia  Minor.  This  seemed  a 
sore  evil — no  one  could  supply  his  place  there.  But  the 
great  Husbandman  had  need  of  him  in  another  part  of 
his  vineyard.  He  must  be  arrested — ^brought  before  a 
Roman  tribunal — be  accused — allowed  an  appeal  to  Cae- 
sar— and  to  C(Bsar  he  must  go. 

But  he  goes,  though  in  chains,  the  embassador  of 
heaven,  the  messenger  of  Christianity,  to  the  capital  of  the 
empire,  and  to  the  palace  of  the  monarch.  He  goes  at 
the  expense  of  a  pagan  government,  in  a  government 
ship,  under  governmental  protection,  and  for  the  express 
purpose  of  making  a  defence  which  shall  lay  a  necessity 
on  him  to  preach  Christ  and  him  crucified  before  the  im- 
perial court. 

All  this  is  providential.  On  this  highest  summit  of 
earthly  power,  Paul  kindled  a  fire  whose  light  soon  shone 
to  the  remotest  bounds  of  the  Roman  empire. 

4.  The  dispersion  of  the  Jews  was  another  providential 
interposition  which  contributed  immensely  to  the  wide 
and  rapid  spread  of  the  gospel.  Jerusalem  had  been  di- 
vinely appointed  the  radiating  point  of  Christianity.  The 
gospel  must  first  be  preached  at  Jerusalem ;  then  to  the 
mongrel  tribes  of  Samaria ;  and  thence,  chiefly  through 
the  instrumentality  of  Jews,  to  the  remotest  parts  of 
the  earth.  But  the  Jews  were  a  people  proverbially 
averse  to  mingling  with  other  nations  ;  and  how  shall  they 
become  the  messengers  of  salvation  to  a  perishing  world  ? 


THE  ROMAN  EMPIRE.  21 

A  signal  providence  here  interposed :  Jerusalem  is  be- 
sieged by  a  Roman  army ;  her  mighty  ramparts  are 
broken  down ;  her  palaces  demolished ;  her  gorgeous 
temple  laid  in  ruins.  The  nation  is  disbanded,  and  the 
Jewish  church  is  no  more.  The  fold  broken  up,  the 
sheep  are  scattered.  They  spread  themselves  over  the 
plains  of  Asia,  even  to  the  confines  of  the  Chinese  sea. 
They  wander  over  the  hills,  and  settle  down  in  the  val- 
leys of  Europe ;  nor  does  the  broad  Atlantic  arrest  their 
progress  to  the  new  world.  Wherever  dispersed,  they 
bear  testimony  to  the  truth  of  Christianity.  Whether  in 
Kamskatka  or  on  the  torrid  sands  of  Africa,  on  the  Co- 
lumbia or  the  Ganges,  the  Jew  is  everywhere  a  Jew — 
and  the  peculiarities  which  make  him  such,  make  him 
everywhere  a  preacher  of  righteousness.  The  bare  fact 
of  his  dispersion  was  a  living  and  palpable  illustration  of 
God's  truth.  If  not  a  direct  preacher  of  righteousness, 
he  was  at  least  verifying  the  predictions  of  a  long  line  of 
prophets,  and  confirming  the  testimony  of  all  former  ages. 
Nothing  so  abundantly  favored  the  propagation  of  the 
gospel  as  the  dispersion  of  the  Jews  :  "  Through  their  fall 
salvation  is  come  to  the  Gentiles."  Their  rejection  was 
the  occasion  and  the  means  of  a  wider  and  a  richer  diffu- 
sion of  the  gospel. 

Indeed,  at  every  step  of  the  progress  of  Christianity 
we  meet  a  wonder-working  Providence  opening  and  pre- 
paring the  way  for  the  kingdom  of  God  among  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth. 

5.  The  extent  and  character  of  the  Roman  Empire,  at 
this  time,  aflfords  another  notable  instance.  In  the  con- 
struction of  that  vast  empire,  God  had,  for  near  forty 
centuries,  been  preparing  a  stupendous  machinery  for  the 
triumph  of  the  truth  over  the  superstition  and  ignorance, 
the  learning  and  philosophy  of  the  whole  earth.  It  was 
the  grand  concentration  of  all  that  was  good,  and  much 
that  was  bad,  in  the  great  monarchies  which  had  gone 
before  it.  It  w^as,  indeed,  a  magnificent  structure  ;  in  ex- 
tent, covering  nearly  the  whole  known  world,  and  in  po- 
litical, intellectual,  and  moral  height,  overtopping  all  that 
had  gone  before  it.  The  mighty  monarchies  which  had 
gone  before,  were  schools  and  vast  workshops  in  which 


22  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

to  prepare  materials  out  of  which  to  build  Rome.  In  polit- 
ical wisdom  and  the  science  of  government,  in  the  arts  and 
sciences,  in  civilization  and  refinement,  Rome  drew  much 
from  the  ever  instructive  past.  In  point  of  religion,  too, 
she  had  gained  much.  Having  adopted  the  mythologies 
of  her  predecessors,  the  lapse  of  time  had  shown  her  their 
inefficacy  and  nothingness ;  and,  consequently,  long  be- 
fore the  coming  of  Christ,  the  state  of  religion  was  little 
more  than  the  ridicule  of  the  philosopher,  the  policy  of 
the  magistrate,  and  the  mere  habit  of  superstition  with 
the  populace ;  and,  of  consequence,  in  a  state  as  favora- 
ble as  may  well  be  conceived  for  the  introduction  and 
rapid  spread  of  a  new  religion. 

Such,  in  a  word,  was  the  character,  the  extent,  and 
facilities  of  communication  possessed  by  the  Roman  Em- 
pire, as  admirably  to  fit  her  to  act  the  conspicuous  part 
in  the  spread  of  the  gospel  for  which  Providence  had 
prepared  her. 

A  nod  from  the  Roman  throne  made  the  world  tremble. 
What  started  with  a  Roman  influence  reached  the  bound- 
aries of  that  vast  empire.*  When,  therefore,  Paul 
brought  the  religion  of  Jesus  into  the  forum  and  the  pal- 
ace, into  the  schools  of  philosophy,  and  the  chief  places 
of  learning,  a  blow  was  struck  which  vibrated  through 
every  nerve  of  that  vast  body  politic.  And  we  need  not 
be  surprised  at  the  triumphant  declaration  of  the  great 
apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  that,  in  less  than  half  a  century 
after  the  resurrection,  "  verily  their  sound  had  gone  into 
all  the  earth,  and  their  words  to  the  ends  of  the  world." 

The  universality  and  consolidation  of  the  Roman  Em- 
pire remarkably  favored  such  a  result.  Narrow  nation- 
alities had  fallen.  Rome  was  the  world.  When  Chris- 
tianity became  the  national  religion,  it,  in  a  sense,  became 
the  religion  of  the  world.     The  observant  reader  of  Gib- 

*  Of  the  peculiar  facilities  afforded  by  the  Roman  Empire  for  the  universal  spread  of 
the  gospel,  take,  for  an  example,  her  national  roads  and  posts.  From  Rome  to  Scotland 
on  the  west,  and  to  Jerusalem  on  the  east,  a  distance  of  four  thousand  Roman  miles — 
and  from  the  imperial  capital  through  the  heart  of  every  province,  there  extended  a 
national  road  by  v?hich  even  the  remotest  provinces  were  accessible.  This  furnished 
facilities  before  unknown  for  the  communication  of  knowledge  and  the  propagation  of 
Christianity.  To  open  and  improve  the  facilities  for  intercommunication,  is  among  the 
first  measures  for  effecting,  or  for  advancing  the  civilization  of  any  country.  Modern 
Europe  received  its  first  lessons  here  from  the  Saracens  of  the  twelfth  and  following 
centuries. 


MADE  TO  SUBSERVE  THE  CHURCH.  23 

bon  cannot  have  overlooked  the  singular  fact,  that  not 
only  every  new  conquest  added  new  dominion  to  Chris- 
tianity, but  every  defeat.  The  conquerors  of  Rome  al- 
most invariably  embraced  the  religion  of  the  conquered. 
The  strong  arm  of  Jehovah  made  the  Roman  monarchy 
a  mighty  engine  in  the  advancement  of  his  truth. 

Under  its  benign  auspices  the  Saviour  was  born.  Au- 
gustus Caesar,  the  first  Roman  Emperor,  began  his  reign 
about  twenty-four  years  before  this  event.  The  Roman 
Empire  had  now  just  reached  its  culminating  point. 
Augustus  was  the  emperor  of  the  heathen  world.  Never 
before  had  Satan's  kingdom  attained  to  so  gigantic  a 
height  in  point  of  power,  wealth,  and  learning.  This 
was  consummated  but  a  year  before  the  birth  of  Christ. 
Augustus  having  subdued  his  last  enemy,  the  world  was 
hushed  into  universal  peace — a  befitting  time  for  the  ad- 
vent of  the  Prince  of  Peace.  The  church  was,  at  that 
time,  brought  exceedingly  low — her  enemies  raised  to  the 
greatest  height  of  glory  and  power — the  four  winds  of 
heaven  were  stayed,  and  God's  anointed  came. 

Thus  did  God  magnify  the  power  of  his  church,  and 
display  the  omnipotency  of  his  truth,  by  bringing  them 
in  near  connection  with  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the 
air  when  he  was  at  the  point  of  his  greatest  glory,  and 
then  overruling  the  honor  and  might  of  the  enemy,  to  the 
furtherance  of  his  own  eternal  scheme  of  mercy.  The 
great  worldly  aggrandizement  of  the  Roman  Empire  was, 
in  a  remarkable  degree,  made  to  subserve  the  rising  cause 
of  Christianity. 

6.  Unroll  the  map  of  history  where  you  please,  and 
you  will  meet,  portrayed  before  you,  the  wonder-working 
Hand  stretched  out  to  protect  his  people,  and  to  overrule 
men  and  events  to  the  praise  of  his  name,  and  the  fur- 
therance of  his  gracious  plans. 

The  emperor,  Antoninus,  a  persecutor  of  the  Christian 
church,  is  warring  with  a  barbarous  people  in  Germany. 
His  army  is  perishing  with  heat  and  thirst,  and  the  enemy 
near.  Being  informed  of  a  Christian  legion  in  his  army, 
who  were  said  to  obtain  what  they  desired  by  their 
prayers,  the  emperor  commanded  them  to  call  on  their 
God  for  assistance.    The  entire  legion  fell  on  their  knees 


24  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

and  besought  the  Lord  for  rain.  Suddenly  the  sky  was 
overcast — a  terrific  storm  of  thunder  and  hghtning  burst 
on  their  enemies.  They  were  panic-struck  and  com- 
pletely routed,  while  a  copious  shower  afforded  the  impe- 
rial troops  ample  refreshment.  The  heart  of  the  empe- 
ror is  turned  to  favor  the  new  sect.  The  Christian's  God 
and  the  gospel  is  known  and  honored  in  the  high  places 
of  imperial  Rome. 

A  similar  purpose  was  achieved  at  a  later  period  by 
the  conversion  of  the  emperor  Philip. 

There  is  light  in  Rome,  while  yet  the  British  Isle  is 
covered  with  pagan  darkness.  Caractacus,  with  his  fam- 
ily and  his  father  Brennus,  is  carried  prisoner  of  war  to 
Rome.  They  embrace  the  Christian  faith,  and,  after 
seven  years,  return  to  their  native  island,  accompanied 
by  three  Christian  preachers,  one  a  Jew,  who  introduced 
the  religion  of  Calvary,  in  the  first  century.  The  mis- ' 
sion,  sent  at  a  later  period  by  Gregory  the  great,  was  a 
child  of  the  same  Providence.  Walking,  one  day,  in  the 
market-place,  he  saw  some  fine  youths,  of  florid  complex- 
ion, bound  with  cords  and  exposed  to  sale  as  slaves. 
Deeply  interested  in  their  behalf,  he  inquired  whence 
they  came.  Being  informed  they  were  natives  of  Britain, 
and  pagans,  he  gave  his  spirit  no  rest  till  a  mission  had 
been  dispatched  to  that  idolatrous  island. 

When,  in  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Philip,  the  church 
had  rest,  and  her  ministers  had  quiet  and  comfort  at  home, 
and  the  apostolic  and  missionary  spirit  was  declining, 
yet  a  wide  and  effectual  door  was  open  to  the  heathen — 
Providence  had  a  resource  little  thought  of:  Barbarian 
invaders  carry  away  among  their  captives  several  Christian 
bishops,  who,  contrary  to  their  expectations,  are  forced  to 
become  missionaries  and  preachers  in  foreign  lands,  and 
are  the  instruments  of  the  conversion  of  many,  who  had 
otherwise  died  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death. 

In  a  little  town  on  the  gulf  of  Nicomedia  lived  an  ob- 
scure inn-keeper.  Constantius,  a  Roman  embassador, 
returning  from  the  court  of  Persia,  lodges  in  the  inn — ^be- 
comes enamored  of  Helena,  the  inn-keeper's  daughter — 
marries  her,  and  the  son  of  their  union  they  call  Constan 
tine.     Constantius  becomes  a  distinguished  Roman  gen- 


CONSTANTINE.  25 

eral,  and  is  at  length  honored  with  the  purple — divorces 
Helena,  the  wife  of  obscure  parentage,  and  leaves  her 
son  to  humiliation  and  disgrace.  But  he  was  a  chosen 
vessel.  He  signalized  his  valor  in  war,  and  in  peace 
showed  himself  worthy  to  be  the  son  of  a  Roman  Empe- 
ror. His  father  dies,  and  the  army  constrain  him  to  ac- 
cept the  imperial  crown.  On  his  way  to  Rome  he  en- 
counters his  formidable  rivals.  Rallying  for  battle,  he 
sees  (he  says,)  in  the  air  a  cross,  on  which  was  written, 
BY  THIS  coNauER.  He  becomes  a  Christian — makes  a 
cross  the  standard  of  his  army,  rnder  which  he  fought 
and  conquered.  He  becomes  the  patron  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  the  royal  defender  of  the  faith. 

By  exalting  to  the  imperial  dignity  a  decidedly  Chris- 
tian prince,  God  makes  bare  his  arm  more  conspicuously 
in  the  eyes  of  the  nations. 

The  church  had  been  withering  under  ten  cruel  perse- 
cutions. Long,  dark,  and  fearful  had  been  her  night. 
The  morning  dawned ;  she  hailed  Constantine  as  her  de- 
liverer. "  The  four  winds  of  the  earth"  were  restrained 
that  they  should  "  not  blow  on  the  earth,  nor  on  the  sea, 
nor  on  any  green  tree."  The  church  had  rest.  Nothing 
that  imperial  power  and  princely  munificence  could  do 
was  wanting,  to  abolish  idolatry,  to  erect  churches,  and 
to  extend  the  dominions  of  Christianity.  The  Goths  and 
Germans,  the  Iberians  and  Armenians,  the  refined  Per- 
sian and  the  rude  Abyssinian,  the  dwellers  in  India  and 
Ethiopia,  received,  under  the  gracious  reign  of  Constan- 
tine, the  embassadors  of  peace  and  pardon,  and  were  gath- 
ered into  the  fold  of  the  good  Shepherd. 

The  danger  now  lay  on  the  side  of  prosperity — and  on 
this  rock  the  newly  launched  vessel  struck.  Neverthe- 
less, her  extension  and  unparalleled  prosperity  was  an  act 
of  a  wise  and  gracious  Providence  in  the  elevation  of  this 
Christian  prince. 

Nothing  can  be  more  intensely  interesting  than  the 
phasis  of  Providence  at  this  particular  epoch.  While 
the  gigantic  fabric  of  pagan  Rome  is  falling  to  decay — 
while  the  huge  image  of  her  greatness  and  glory  is  crum- 
bling to  ruins,  another  kingdom  is  rising  in  all  the  beauty 
and  vigor  of  youth,  deriving  strength  from  every  opposi^ 

3 


26  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

tion,  towering  above  every  human  difficulty,  bidding  defi- 
ance to  the  gorgeous  array  of  Roman  power  and  Roman 
paganism,  and  soon  waiving  the  triumphant  banner  of  the 
cross  over  the  ruins  of  imperial  Rome.  A  mighty  hand 
was  at  work,  as  surely  and  irresistibly  undermining,  and 
removing  out  of  the  way,  the  huge  colossus  of  Rome,  as  he 
was,  with  the  same  onward  and  resistless  step,  rearing  up 
that  kingdom  which  should  never  end. 

There  seemed  inwrought,  in  the  mind  of  the  Roman 
army  and  the  Roman  world,  the  impression  that  Constan- 
tine  was  a  signal  instrument,  in  the  hands  of  God,  to  es- 
tablish the  empire  of  Christianity  throughout  the  earth — 
that  "his  commission  was  no  less  special  than  that  of 
Moses,  Joshua,  or  Gideon." 

A  Tyrian  merchant,  in  the  4th  century,  visits  Abys- 
sinia with  two  lads.  Meropius  is  attacked  by  the  natives, 
and  murdered.  The  boys,  Frumentius  and  Edesius,  are 
spared,  presented  to  the  king,  and  taken  under  his  pat- 
ronage. In  due  time  Frumentius  is  made  prime  minis- 
ter, and  uses  the  advantages  of  his  station  to  introduce 
Christianity.  A  church  is  established  in  that  pagan  land, 
of  which  he  is  afterwards  constituted  Bishop.  And,  what 
is  a  matter  of  no  little  interest,  Christianity  has  lived  in 
that  country  till  the  present  day,  a  bulwark  against  the 
assaults  of  the  Moslems,  or  the  stratagems  and  cruelties 
of  popery.     How  great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kindleth  ! 

The  Iberians,  a  pagan  people  bordering  on  the  Black 
sea,  take  captive  in  war  a  Christian  female  of  great  piety. 
They  soon  learn  to  rrspect,  then  to  revere  her  holy  de- 
portment— and  the  more,  on  account  of  some  remarkable 
answers  to  her  prayers.  Hence  she  was  brought  to  the 
notice  of  the  king,  which  led,  eventually,  to  the  conver- 
sion of  the  king  and  queen,  and  to  the  introduction  by  them 
of  Christian  teachers  to  instruct  their  people.  Thus  an- 
other portion  of  the  great  desert  was  inclosed  in  the  gar- 
den of  the  Lord,  through  the  gracious  interposition  of  an 
Almighty  Providence. 

Again,  the  sister  of  the  king  of  the  Bulgarians,  a  Scla- 
vonic people,  is,  in  the  ninth  century,  carried  captive  to 
Constantinople — hears  and  embraces  the  truth  of  the  gos- 
pel ;  returning  home,  spares  no  pains  to  turn  her  brother, 


TOPICS  TO  BE    DISCUSSED.  27 

the  king,  from  the  vanity  of  his  idols ;  but  apparently  to 
no  effect,  till  a  pestilence  invades  his  dominions,  when  he  is 
persuaded  to  pray  to  the  God  of  the  Christians.  The  plague 
is  removed — the  king  embraces  Christianity,  and  sends  to 
Constantinople  for  missionaries  to  teach  his  people  : — and 
another  nation  is  added  to  the  territory  of  Christianity. 

Thus  did  the  "  vine  brought  out  of  Egypt,"  which  had 
taken  deep  root  on  the  hills  of  Judah,  spread  its  branches 
eastward  and  westward,  till  its  songs  of  praise  were  sung 
on  the  Ganges  and  the  Chinese  sea,  and  echoed  back  from 
the  mountain-tops  of  the  farthest  known  west.  In  all 
its  leading  features,  in  all  its  grand  aggressive  movements 
and  rich  acquisitions,  we  trace  the  mighty,  overruling 
hand  of  Providence.  Christian  missions  did  but  follow, 
at  a  respectful  distance,  this  magnificent  agency  of 
Heaven.  Missions  overcame  their  thousands,  providen- 
tial interpositions  their  tens  of  thousands.  He  that  sat 
upon  the  white  horse,  who  is  called  Faithful  and  True, 
whose  name  is  the  word  of  God,  rose  forth  victoriously 
to  the  conquest  of  the  world.  The  Christian  church  is 
the  favorite  child  of  an  ever- watchful  Providence. 

In  the  further  prosecution  of  the  subject,  the  agency  of 
Providence  will  be  illustrated  by  means  of  a  variety  of 
historical  events,  connected,  directly  or  indirectly,  with 
the  history  of  the  church  :  such  as  the  art  of  printing  and 
paper-making.  The  invention  of  the  mariner's  compass. 
The  discovery  and  first  settlement  of  America.  The 
opening  to  Christian  nations  of  India  and  the  East  by  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope.  The  reformation  of  the  sixteenth 
century.  The  expulsion  of  the  Moors  from  Spain.  Trans- 
fer of  India  to  protestant  hands.  The  destruction  of  the 
Spanish  invincible  armada.  Philip  II.,  and  Holland. 
The  gun-powder  plot.  The  usurpation  of  Cromwell. 
The  hand  of  God  in  the  origin  and  progress  of  modern 
missions.  And  the  present  condition  of  the  world  as  pre- 
pared by  Providence  for  the  universal  spread  of  the  gospel. 

Such  a  view  of  history,  it  is  believed,  will  magnify  in 
the  reader's  mind  the  great  moral  enterprise  which  God, 
through  his  providence,  is  achieving  in  our  world ;  and 
conduct  to  the  conclusion  that  Christianity  has,  from  the 
beginning,  had  an  onward  progress 


28  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

She  has  seen  days  of  darkness,  of  persecution,  of  ap- 
parent retrogression,  and  sometimes  has  seemed  almost 
extinct.  She  has  had  her  nights,  long  and  gloomy — her 
winters,  protracted  and  dreary.  But  is  the  night  less 
conducive  to  man's  comfort  and  prosperity,  or  the  earth's 
fertility,  than  the  day  ?  In  the  morning  man  goes  forth, 
in  the  dew  of  his  youth,  fresh  to  his  labor ;  and  the  earth, 
smiling  through  pearl-drop  tears,  appears  in  fresher  beauty 
and  vigor  than  before.  Or  is  the  winter  a  blank — or  a 
retrograde  move  in  nature  ?  It  is  a  vicissitude  that  has 
its  uses  in  the  economy  of  the  great  whole,  no  less  salutary 
and  promotive  of  the  great  good,  than  the  freshness  of 
spring,  or  the  maturity  of  summer,  or  the  full  sheaf  of 
autumn. 

The  dark  days  of  the  church  have  been  days  of  prep- 
ai'ation. .  When  eclipsed  as  to  worldly  prosperity— when 
crushed  beneath  the  foot  of  despotism,  or  bleeding  from 
the  hand  of  persecution,  she  has  been  gathering  strength 
and  preparing  for  a  new  display  of  her  beauties,  and  for 
a  wider  extension  of  her  territories.  A  thousand  years 
with  the  Lord  is  but  as  one  day.  Time  is  but  a  moment  to 
eternity.  The  few  generations  of  depression  in  Egypt, 
when  the  people  of  God  were  learning  obedience,  and 
gathering  strength  for  their  first  exhibition  as  a  nation 
and  a  church,  was  but  a  brief  season  to  prepare  for  their 
future  prosperity  and  glory.  The  night  of  a  thousand 
years  which  preceded  the  morning  of  the  glorious  Refor- 
mation, and  the  more  glorious  events  which  were  to  follow, 
was  no  more  than  the  necessary  preparatory  season  for 
that  onward  movement  of  the  church.  A  complete  rev- 
olution was  to  transpire  in  the  political  affairs  of  the 
world — the  ecclesiastical  world  was  to  be  turned  upside 
down — and  the  social  relations  of  man  to  be  changed, 
A  thousand  years  was  not  a  long  time  in  which  to  etiect 
such  changes — changes,  every  one  of  which  looked  for- 
ward to  the  extension  and  establishment  of  the  church. 

The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  leaven  which  a 
woman  took  and  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  the 
whole  was  leavened.  It  matters  not  in  what  part  of  the 
meal  it  is  put,  or  that  the  quantity  of  leaven  is  small,  or 
that  it  is  lost  sight  of  in  the  mass.     It  works  and  fer- 


UNPROPITIOUS  APPEARANCES.  29 

merits,  and  pervades  the  whole  mass.  Yet  no  marked  ef- 
fect is  visible  till  the  process  is  complete. 

Such  is  the  process  and  the  progress  of  Christianity.  The 
apostles  cast  the  leaven  into  the  corrupt  mass  of  human- 
ity. The  fermentation  began  and  has  never  ceased,  ^nd 
shall  never  cease  till  the  whole  immense  mass  of  this  cor- 
rupt world  shall  be  leavened.  It  has  been  a  steady, 
silent,  irresistible  process — always  onward,  though  not 
always  visible,  and  sometimes,  seemingly,  retrograde.  It 
is  pervading  the  whole  lump,  yet  no  marked  effect  shall 
appear  till  the  process  shall  be  complete.  Kingdoms  rise 
and  fall — moral  earthquakes  shake  the  earth — commo- 
tions, unaccountable  and  terrific,  follow  on  the  heels  of 
commotions — the  leaven  of  Christianity  seems  lost  in  the 
fearful  and  general  fermentation — the  sun  is  darkened, 
the  moon  is  covered  in  sackcloth,  the  stars  fall  from 
heaven — all  human  affairs  are  thrown  into  perturbation, 
and  Christianity  is,  from  time  to  time,  scouted  from  the 
habitations  of  men  ;  yet  all  this  is  but  the  silent,  invisible, 
onward,  restless  workings  of  the  leaven  cast  over  the 
world  from  the  hill  of  Calvary.  Every  revolution,  every 
commotion,  war,  oppression,  persecution,  famine,  pesti- 
lence, the  wrath  of  man,  and  the  rage  of  the  elements, 
are,  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  but  parts  of  the  great 
fermenting  process,  which  the  world  is  undergoing  from 
the  leaven  of  Christianity. 

Seasons  of  unpropitious  appearances  are,  oftentimes, 
seasons  of  the  most  decided  advancement — especially  are 
they  seasons  of  preparation  for  some  onward  and  glorious 
progress.  Above  all  these  contending  elements  of  hu- 
man strife,  sits  serenely  the  Majesty  of  Heaven,  guiding 
them  all  to  the  furtherance  of  his  cause. 

We  may  very  justly  regard  the  present  advanced  con- 
dition of  the  world,  in  the  science  of  government,  in  phi- 
losophy and  general  learning,  in  social,  national  and  sci- 
entific improvements,  in  the  arts,  in  morality  and  religion, 
as  a  state  of  things  providentially  induced,  to  prepare 
the  world  for  that  yet  more  advanced  condition  which 
we  denominate  the  millennium.  We  believe  the  world 
must,  morally,  socially,  and  politically,  undergo  very 
great  changes  before  it  will  become  a  fit  habitation  for 

3* 


30  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

that  Christianity  which  shall  bless  the  earth  in  the  days 
of  her  millennial  glory.  But  these  changes  are  not  the 
work  of  a  generation,  but  of  centuries.  And  where  is 
the  century,  or  the  year  in  any  century,  in  which  this 
w<t'k  has  not  been  going  forward — and  going  forward  as 
fast  as,  in  the  nature  of  things,  and  in  consistency  with 
the  mode  of  the  Divine  working,  could  be  ? 

The  science  of  government  is,  necessarily,  a  science  of 
slow  progress.  An  entire  century  scarcely  affords  time 
for  a  single  experiment ;  and  this  experiment  may  be  a 
failure,  or,  at  most,  may  develop  but  a  little  progress  to- 
wards the  right.  Half  a  score  of  centuries  is  but  a  mod- 
erate period  in  which  to  gather  up  the  fragments  of  good 
which  may  have  resulted  from  a  series  of  experiments  of 
this  kind,  and  to  form  them  into  one.  Modern  liberty, 
though  yet  scarcely  advanced  beyond  the  gristle,  is  the 
growth  of  more  than  a  thousand  years.  Indeed,  she  lay 
in  embryo  nearly  that  period  before  she  saw  daylight. 

And  so  it  is  in  the  formation  and  growth  of  other  great 
features  which  shall  characterize  the  period  of  Christian- 
ity's consummation  on  earth.  Human  improvement  is 
the  growth  of  centuries. 

It  was  needful,  too,  that,  first  of  all,  the  disease,  to  be 
removed  by  the  healing  waters  of  Bethesda,  should  be 
known,  and  its  evil  be  fully  developed — that  sin  should  have 
time  to  mature  and  bring  forth  its  bitter  fruits,  and  ex- 
hibit its  hatefulness  and  ruin — that  Satan  should  be  al- 
lowed first  to  show  what  he  can  make  of  this  earth 
and  its  resources,  before  the  rightful  Proprietor  shall  come, 
and  by  his  all-pervading  providence  reduce  confusion  to 
order,  bring  light  out  of  darkness,  and  good  out  of  evil. 

Are  we  not  right,  then,  in  the  suggestion  that  Chris- 
tianity has,  from  the  beginning,  had  an  onward  progress  ? 
AVhen  seemingly  overwhelmed  in  the  commotions  of  po- 
litical revolutions — when  seemingly  crushed  beneath  the 
ponderous  foot  of  persecution,  her  real  progress  has  not 
been  arrested.  These  have  been  as  the  grinding  of  the 
corn,  peparing  it  for  the  action  of  the  leaven — the  break- 
ing to  pieces,  and  the  removing  out  of  the  way,  the 
things  that  shall  be  removed,  and  the  establishing  of 
those  things  which  shall  abide  forever. 


CHAPTER  II. 


Art  of  Printing— Paper-making— Mariner's  Compass.  The  Discovery  of  America,  at 
precisely  the  right  time  :  a  new  field  for  Christianity.  First  settlement.  Romanists. 
None  but  Puritan  seed  takes  deep  root  here.  Character  of  the  first  settlers.  Geo- 
graphical position.  Capabilities  and  resources  of  America.  Language,  Intelligence, 
Political  supremacy.     Coal.     Steam.     A  cloud. 

"  Thou  hast  brought  a  vine  out  of  Egypt ;  thou  hast  cast  out 
the  heathen  and  planted  it.  Thou  preparedst  room  before  it^  and 
didst  cause  it  to  take  deep  root^  and  it  filed  the  land.  The  hills 
were  covered  with  the  shadow  of  it,  and  the  boughs  thereof  icere 
like  the  goodly  cedars.  She  sent  out  her  boughs  unto  the  sea^  and 
her  branches  unto  the  river. ^' — Psalms,  Ixxx.  8 — 11. 

The  next  great  event  by  which  Providence  most  sig- 
nally lengthened  the  cords  and  strengthened  the  stakes  of 
his  spiritual  Israel,  was  the  Discovery  of  America. 

While  this  will  be  allowed  to  engross  our  attention  in 
the  present  chapter,  I  must  briefly  notice  a  few  prelim- 
inary steps  by  which  Providence  has  wrought,  and  is  still 
working,  wonders  in  carrying  on  the  work  of  human 
redemption.  I  refer  to  the  invention  of  the  art  of  print- 
ing, of  paper-making,  and  the  mariner'' s  compass,  and  to 
the  rise  of  correct  views  of  astronomy. 

These,  in  the  hands  of  God,  have  wrought  marvels  in 
the  extension  and  establishment  of  the  true  religion. 

When,  in  the  evolutions  of  time,  the  period  had  arrived 
that  God  would  employ  the  agency  of  the  press  to  extend 
and  perpetuate  his  truth,  the  first  crude  idea  of  the  pro- 
cess of  printing  is,  divinely  no  doubt,  suggested  to  a 
human  mind.  And  how  natural,  yet  purely  providential 
it  was. 

A  man  of  Harlem,  a  town  in  Holland,  four  centuries 
ago,  (1430,)  named  Laurentius  or  Lawrence  Koster,  is 
amusing  himself  in  cutting  some  letters  on  the  smooth 
bark  of  a  tree.     It  occurs  to  him  to  transfer  an  impression 


32  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

of  these  letters  on  paper.  He  thus  impressed  two  or 
three  lines  as  a  specimen  for  the  amusement  of  his  chil- 
dren. Here  was  the  whole  art.  An  apparently  acci- 
dental circumstance  gave  him  the  needed  hint — from 
which  his  mind  was  sent  out  on  the  adventurous  wings 
of  invention— contriving  a  suitable  ink — cutting  whole 
pages  of  letters  on  blocks  of  wood,  and  transferring  them 
thence  on  paper. 

Other  minds  were  now  put  on  the  same  track,  and  soon 
the  theory  of  printing  was  so  far  made  a  practical  art, 
that  copies  of  the  Bible  were  multiplied  with  such  facility 
that  the  entire  book  was  offered  for  sale,  in  Paris,  for 
sixty  crowns.  The  number  and  uniformity  of  the  copies 
excited  no  small  agitation  and  astonishment.  The  vender 
was  thought  a  magician,  and,  but  for  his  timely  escape, 
would  have  been  executed  for  witchcraft. 

There  is  not,  perhaps,  in  the  hands  of  Providence 
another  so  powerful  an  engine  as  the  press  for  diffusing  a 
knowledge  of  God  and  his  law,  and  for  carrying  out  the 
Divine  purposes  of  mercy  towards  our  world.  Books  are 
mighty  things,  whether  for  good  or  evil.  And  the  art 
which  multiplies  and  perpetuates  books  by  tens  of  thou- 
sands daily,  is  an  art  of  vast  efficiency — capable  of  doing 
more  to  enlighten,  reform,  and  bless  the  world,  than  any 
other.  In  this  view,  we  cannot  too  devoutly  admire  the 
providential  agency  in  the  invention  of  the  art  of  print- 
ing. But  what  is  more  especially  to  our  present  purpose 
is  the  fact,  that  the  invention  of  an  art  of  such  impor- 
tance in  extending  the  boundaries  of  truth  and  perpetua- 
ting its  conquests,  should  be  made  at  this  identical  time, 
(at  the  period  of  the  general  revival  of  learning  in  Europe 
and  throughout  Christendom,)  and  that  the  precious  grant 
should  be  made  to  Christianity — and  not  only  be  early 
confided  to  Christian  hands,  no  doubt  pre-eminently  for 
the  propagation  of  religion,  but  the  same  Providence  has 
kept  it,  even  to  the  present  day,  almost  exclusively  the 
companion  and  handmaid  of  Christianity.  And  if  we 
contemplate  the  power  of  the  press,  not  only  in  the  pres- 
ent and  the  past,  but  in  the  yet  more  important  part  it  is 
destined  to  act  in  the  spread  of  gospel  truth,  we  shall 


THE    PRESS  :    MARINER  S    COMPASS.  33 

admire  anew  the  wonder-working  hand ;  God  working 
all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will. 

The  inlluence  of  the  art  of  printing,  upon  the  condition 
of  the  world,  can  scarcely  be  exaggerated  or  exhausted  ; 
"  its  influence  upon  all  arts  and  all  science — upon  every 
physical,  intellectual  and  moral  resource — every  social 
and  religious  interest — upon  the  intelligence  and  freedom, 
the  refinement  and  happiness  of  mankind — upon  all  mind 
and  all  matter." 

A  few  years  before  the  invention  of  the  art  of  printing, 
the  same  inventive  Providence  gave  birth  to  the  science 
of  navigation.  There  was  navigation  before,  but  till  the 
discovery  of  the  polarity  of  the  magnet  and  the  applica- 
tion of  its  properties,  navigation  was  a  mere  coasting 
affair. 

The  discovery  was  as  simple  as  providential :  some 
curious  persons  are  amusing  themselves  by  making 
swim,  in  a  basin  of  water,  a  loadstone  suspended  on  a 
piece  of  cork.  When  left  at  liberty  they  observe  it 
points  to  the  north.  The  discovery  of  this  simple  fact 
soon  threw  a  new  aspect  over  the  whole  world.  Oceans, 
hitherto  unknown  and  pathless,  became  a  highway  for 
the  nations.  Nations  hitherto  isolated,  were  brought 
into  neighborhood.  The  wide  realms  of  the  ocean  were 
now  subjected  to  the  dominion  of  man.  Without  this 
discovery  the  mariner  had  been  still  feeling  his  way  along 
his  native  shore,  afraid  to  launch  out  beyond  the  length 
of  his  line ;  America  had  probably  remained  unknown, 
the  islands  of  the  sea  undiscovered ;  and  all  the  world 
has  gained,  and  vastly  more  that  it  shall  gain  from  inter- 
national communication,  from  commerce,  from  immensely 
increased  facilities  for  advancing  learning,  civilization, 
freedom,  the  science  of  government  and  religion,  would 
be  wanting.  Without  the  mariner's  compass,  the  work 
of  the  missionary  and  the  Bible  would  be  confined  within 
the  narrow  limits  of  a  coasting  voyage  or  a  land  journey. 

When,  therefore,  the  time  approached  that  God  would 
advance,  by  mightier  strides  than  before,  the  work  of 
civilization  and  Christianity,  he  discovered  the  nations 
one  to  another,  through  the  agency  of  the  mariner's 
compass ;  and  put  into  the  hands  of  his  people  the  thou- 


34  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

sand  facilities  which  have  followed  in  the  wake  of  this 
one  providential  discovery. 

But  I  proceed  to  the  topic  which  is  chiefly  to  occupy 
the  present  chapter. 

The  Hand  of  God  as  discernible  in  the  discovery  and 
first  settlement  of  America. 

The  time  had  arrived  when  God  would  give  enlarge- 
ment to  Zion.  For  this  purpose  he  had  reserved  a  large 
and  noble  continent — a  land  fitted,  by  its  mighty  rivers 
and  lofty  mountains,  its  vast  prairies  and  inexhaustible 
mineral  productions,  to  be  a  theatre  for  more  extensive 
and  grand  developments  of  the  scheme  of  redemption 
than  had  ever  yet  transpired.  The  old  world  had  ceased 
to  be  a  fit  arena  on  which  the  divine  purposes  connected 
with  the  church  should  be  carried  out.  Despotism  had 
so  choaked  the  rising  germ  of  liberty,  that  no  fair  hope 
remained  that  she  should  there  ever  come  to  any  consid- 
erable maturity.  Ecclesiastical  domination  had  so  mo- 
nopolized and  trampled  down  religious  rights  and  free- 
dom, that  it  seemed  vain  to  expect  that  religion,  pure  and 
undefiled,  should,  on  such  a  soil,  flourish,  spreading  her 
branches  in  all  her  native  beauty  and  grandeur,  and 
bringing  forth  her  golden  fruits.  So  sickly  has  she  already 
become,  that  she  could  not  stand,  except  as  propped  up 
by  the  civil  power  ;  and  so  impotent  as  too  often  to  be 
the  sport  of  every  changing  wind  of  politics.  And  the 
institutions  of  caste — the  usurpations  of  privileged  orders, 
had  so  disorganized  the  natural  order  of  society,  so  broken 
up  social  relations  which  God  and  nature  approved,  and 
introduced  in  their  stead  the  most  unnatural  divisions  in 
society,  as  to  make  the  social  institutions  of  Europe 
unsuited  to  that  free  and  rapid  progress  of  the  truth 
which  the  divine  purpose  now  contemplated.  These  had 
become  thorns  and  briars  to  the  rising  growth  of  genuine 
piety.  Religion  can  thrive  and  expand  itself  in  all  its 
native  luxuriance,  only  in  the  atmosphere  of  political 
freedom  and  religious  tolerance,  and  where  social  rights 
are  not  systematically  invaded,  and  social  intercourse 
trammeled  by  aristocratic  pride.  It  is  the  nature  of  our 
religion  to  bind  heart  to  heart,  to  make  all  one  in  Christ. 
Free,  unbounded,  disinterested  benevolence  is  its  genius. 


THE    OLD    WORLD    AND    THE    CHURCH.  35 

It  is  a  kingdom  above  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth, 
incorporating  its  subjects  into  a  society  of  its  own  pecu- 
liar kind.  They  acknowledge  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

If  social  relations  had  become  so  deranged,  or  unnat- 
urally modified  in  the  old  world  as  no  longer  to  afford  a 
congenial  soil  to  the  growth  of  Christianity  ;  if  the  prevail- 
ing customs,  maxims,  principles,  and  habits  of  thinking, 
had  become  such  as  to  preclude  the  expectation  that  re- 
ligion would  there  flourish  in  all  her  loveliness  and  vigor  ; 
and  if  Despotism,  religious  and  civil,  stood  up  in  array 
against  its  onward  march  and  speedy  victory,  we  see 
reason  why  God  should  transplant  his  choice  vine  into  a 
soil  unoccupied  by  such  noxious  plants,  and  more  favora- 
ble to  its  growth  and  security.  Such  a  soil  was  found  in 
America,  unoccupied,  and  where  "  the  vine  brought  out 
of  Egypt"  might  take  deep  root,  "  that  the  hills  might  be 
covered  with  the  shadow  of  it,  and  the  boughs  thereof  be 
like  the  goodly  cedars ;  that  she  should  send  out  her 
boughs  unto  the  sea,  and  her  branches  unto  the  river." 

Here,  somewhat  analogous  to  the  re-commencement  of 
religious  institutions  after  the  flood,  the  church  was,  as 
it  were,  re-established ;  here,  again,  an  opportunity  af- 
forded to  remove  the  "  hay,  wood  and  stubble,"  on  which 
the  former  building  had  been  reared,  and  to  build  anew 
on  the  foundation  of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  Jesus 
Christ  being  the  chief  corner-stone.  ./ 

Contemplate,  then,  the  discovery  of  America,  as  one 
of  those  leading  acts  of  Providence  for  the  propagation 
and  establishment  of  the  truth.  When  God  would 
enlarge  the  theatre  on  which  to  display  the  riches  of  his 
grace,  he  caused  a  spirit  of  bold  adventure  to  move  upon 
the  face  of  the  stagnant  waters  of  Europe,  which  found 
no  rest  till  it  brought  forth  a  new  world.  I  am  not  here 
to  dilate  on  the  glory  of  this  discovery,  or  the  magnitude 
of  many  of  its  results.  It  had  'political  and  commercial 
bearings  more  magnificent  than  could  then  have  been 
conceived,  or  than  are  at  this  late  period  understood  by 
us.  These,  however,  were  no  more  than  the  incidental 
advantages  of  the  main  design  of  this  event.  America 
was  now  added   to  the  known  domains  of  the  world,  to 


§6  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

make  room  for  the  cJnirch,  and  to  become  in  its  turn  a 
fountain,  from  which  should  go  forth  streams  of  salvation 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  This  I  conceive  to  be  the  design 
of  Providence  in  this  discovery. 

The  particulars  which  here  demand  our  attention,  are 
the  ti?ne  of  the  discovery ;  the  manner  of  the  first  settle- 
ment of  this  country  ;  the  character  of  the  first  colonists  ; 
and  the  geographical  position  and  capabilities  of  America. 
These  all  distinctly  indicate  the  hand  of  God,  and  our 
future  destinies  in  reference  to  the  church. 

1.  The  discovery  of  this  country  happened  at  the  pre- 
cise time  when  the  exigencies  of  the  church  demanded  a 
new  and  enlarged  field  for  her  better  protection,  and  for 
the  more  glorious  development  of  her  excellencies.  When 
America  had  become  sufficiently  known  and  prepared  to 
receive  her  precious  charge,  the  reformation  had  done  its 
work,  and  yet  the  church  was  but  partially  emancipated 
from  the  bondage  of  papal  corruption.  The  reformed 
church  of  England  and  of  Europe  was,  at  that  period,  as 
far  advanced,  perhaps,  towards  the  primitive  simplicity 
and  purity  of  the  gospel,  as  could  reasonably  be  expected 
on  the  soil  where  the  principles  of  the  reformation  were 
laboring  to  take  root.  That  soil  was  already  pre-occu- 
pied  and  overrun  with  a  growth  hostile  to  those  princi- 
ples. Though  manumitted  from  the  dark  cells  and 
galling  chains  of  Romanism,  religion  found  herself  but  ill 
at  ease  in  her  new  relations.  She  was  still  laced  tight 
in  the  stays  of  forms  and  liturgies,  and  compelled  to  move 
stiffly  about  among  mitred  heads  and  princely  dignita- 
ries— to  wear  the  gewgaws  of  honor,  or  shine  in  the  bau- 
bles of  vanity.  Though  hailed  once  more  as  the  daughter 
of  liberty,  she  neither  breathed  freely,  nor  moved  untram- 
meled,  nor  unencumbered,  stretched  forth  her  hand  to 
wield  mightily  the  sword  of  the  spirit,  to  overcome  prin- 
cipalities and  powers,  and  to  dispense  her  celestial  gifts, 
till  man  shall  be  happy  and  the  world  free. 

It  was  at  such  a  time  that  the  "  woman,  clothed  with 
the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and  upon  her  head 
a  crown  of  twelve  stars,"  having  long,  and  in  various 
ways,  been  persecuted  by  the  great  red  dragon,  of 
*  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  seven  crowns  on  his 


FIRST    SETTLEMENT    OF    AMERICA.  37 

heads,"  had  given  to  her  the  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle, 
that  she  might  fly  into  the  wilde^'ness,  where  she  had  a 
place  prepared  of  God,  that  they  should  feed  her  there  a 
thousand,  two  hundred  and  three  score  days.  And  here, 
free,  strong,  lofty  as  the  eagle,  (our  national  banner,)  she 
lives,  and  breathes,  and  moves,  stable  as  our  everlasting 
hills,  extensively  diffused  as  our  far-reaching  rivers,  and 
free  as  our  mountain  air.  Once  it  were  enough  that  a 
persecuted  church  should  find  refuge  in  the  straightened 
valleys  of  Piedmont  and  Languedock ;  now  she  must 
have  the  valleys  of  the  Connecticut,  the  Hudson,  the 
Ohio,  the  Mississippi,  and  all  the  lofty  hills  and  the  rich 
vales  that  stretch  out,  in  their  varied  beauty  and  luxu- 
riance, from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific. 

Thus  did  God  open  an  asylum  for  his  oppressed  people 
precisely  at  the  time  they  needed  it.*  And  thus,  with  a 
mighty  hand,  did  he  establish  his  church  in  this  new 
world. 

2.  There  were,  too,  many  things  connected  with  the 
first  settlement  of  this  country,  which  indicate  the  grand 
design  of  Providence  in  its  discovery.  Follow  his  foot- 
steps for  a  moment  and  you  will  see  it. 

The  leading  design  was,  no  doubt,  a  religious  one — else 
why  should  the  King  of  nations,  who  setteth  up  one  and 
pulleth  down  another,  have  given  preference  to  those 
arrangements  which  show  religion  and  his  church  to 
have  been  the  chief  objects  of  his  regard  and  agency. 
That  it  was  so,  a  few  facts  will  testify  : 

It  is  known  that  the  first  discoverers  of  this  continent 
were  Roman  Catholics.  America  was  taken  possession 
of  and  made  subject  to  Catholic  governments.  Bearing 
in  mind  this  fact,  you  will,  with  the  greater  pleasure,  fol- 
low the  wonder-working  Hand  which  overturned  and 
overturned  till  this  once  Roman  Catholic  country  has 
been  wrested,  piece-meal,  (as  the  wants  of  the  reformed 
religion  have  required,)  from  the  domination  of  Rome 
and  the  ghostly  tyranny  of  the  Pope,  and  given  into  the 
hands  of  Protestants,  and  made  the  strong  hold  of  the 


*  "  The  Mahammedans,"  says  M.  Oelsner,  "would  have  discovered  America  even 
centuries  before  Columbus,  had  not  their  fleet  been  wrecked  in  a  tempest,  after  clear- 
ing the  straits  of  Gibraltar.— Foster,  vol.  II.  p.  237. 

4 


38  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

doctrines  of  the  reformation.  Nearly  the  whole  of  North 
America  has  already  been  transferred.  Nor  is  this  all. 
It  was  not  enousjh  that  it  should  become  a  Protestant 
country.  It  should  grow  up  into  a  nation  under  the  still 
more  benign  influences  of  Protestantism  reformed.  New. 
England  was  to  be  the  nursery,  and  Puritanism  the  spirit 
that  should  pervade  this  new  world. 

And  what  a  singular  train  of  providences  brought  about 
so  important,  yet  so  unlikely  an  event.  Nothing  seemed 
more  probable  at  one  time,  than  that  France  would  be 
the  owner  of  New  England — that  these  hills  and  valleys, 
now  so  healthful  in  moral  vigor,  would  have  languished 
under  the  crucifix  and  the  mitred  priest,  and  groaned 
beneath  the  heavy  rod  of  the  Roman  pontiff.  And  New 
England  might  have  been  as  notorious  as  a  fountain  of 
abominations  and  papal  sorceries,  as  she  now  is  as  a 
radiating  point  of  light,  and  intellectual  and  spiritual  life. 
But  mark  the  hand  of  God  here. 

New  England  was  early  an  object  of  desire  with  the 
French.  As  early  as  the  year  1605,  De  Mont  "explored 
and  claimed  for  France,  the  rivers,  the  coasts  and  bays 
of  New  England.  But  the  decree  had  gone  out  that  the 
beast  of  Rome  should  never  pollute  this  land  of  promise, 
and  it  could  not  be  revoked.  The  hostile  savages  first 
prevent  their  settlement.  Yet  they  yield  not  their  pur- 
pose. Thrice  in  the  following  year  was  the  attempt 
renewed,  and  twice  were  they  driven  back  by  adverse 
winds,  and  the  third  time  wrecked  at  sea.  Again  did 
Pourtrincourt  attempt  the  same  enterprise,  but  was,  in 
like  manner,  compelled  to  abandon  the  project.  It  was 
not  so  written.  This  was  the  land  of  promise  which  God 
would  give  to  the  people  of  his  own  choice.  Hither  he 
would  transplant  the  "  vine"  which  he  had  brought  out 
of  Egypt.  Here  it  should  take  root  and  send  out  its 
boughs  unto  the  sea,  and  its  branches  unto  the  river.* 

At  a  still  later  period,  a  French  armament  of  forty  ships 
of  war,  under  the  Duke  D'Anville,  was  destined  for  the 
destruction  of  New  England.  It  sailed  from  Chebucto, 
in  Nova  Scotia,  for  this  purpose.     In  the  meantime,  the 

*  Bancroft's  History  of  United  Slates. 


NEW    ENGLAND    FOR    THE    PURITANS.  39 

pious  people,  apprised  of  their  danger,  had  appointed  a 
day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  to  be  observed  in  all  the 
churches.  While  Mr.  Prince  was  officiating  in  Old 
South  Church,  Boston,  on  this  fast  day,  and  praying  most 
fervently  that  the  dreaded  calamity  might  be  averted,  a 
sudden  gush  of  wind  arose  (the  day,  till  then,  had  been 
perfectly  clear,)  so  violently,  as  to  cause  the  clattering  of 
the  windows.  The  reverend  gentleman  paused  in  his 
prayer,  and  looking  around  on  the  congregation  with  a 
countenance  of  hope,  he  again  commenced,  and  with  great 
devotional  ardor,  supplicated  the  Almighty  to  cause  that 
w^ind  to  frustrate  the  object  of  their  enemies.  A  tempest 
ensued,  in  which  the  greater  part  of  the  French  fleet  was 
wrecked.  The  duke  and  his  principal  general  committed 
suicide — many  died  with  disease,  and  thousands  were 
drowned.  A  small  remnant  returned  to  France,  without 
health,  and  spiritless,  and  the  enterprise  was  abandoned 
forever. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  how  God  made  room  for  his 
people  before  he  brought  them  here.  He  drove  out  the 
heathen  before  them.  A  pestilence  raged  just  before  the 
arrival  of  the  Pilgrims,  which  swept  oflfvast  numbers  of 
the  Indians.  And  the  newly  arrived  were  preserved 
from  absolute  starvation  by  the  very  corn  which  the 
Indians  had  buried  for  their  winter's  provisions. 

And  here  we  may  note  another  providence  :  none  but 
Puritan  feet  should  tread  this  virgin  soil,  and  occupy  the 
portion  God  had  chosen  for  his  own  heritage.  Before  the 
arrival  of  the  Pilgrims,  a  grant  had  been  given  and  a 
colony  established  in  New  England,  called  new  Plymouth. 
But  this  did  not  prosper.  A  nev/  and  modified  patent 
was  then  granted  to  Lord  Lenox  and  the  Marquis  of 
Buckingham.  But  no  permanent  settlement  was  made. 
The  hierarchy  of  England  should  not  have  the  posses- 
sion. They  to  whom  the  Court  of  Heaven  had  granted 
it,  had  not  yet  come.  It  was  reserved  for  the  Puritans. 
Here  should  be  nurtured,  in  the  cradle  of  hardships,  and 
perils  from  the  savages,  and  from  the  wilderness,  and  suf- 
ferings manifold  and  grievous,  a  spirit  which  should  nerve 
the  moral  muscles  of  the  soul,  and  rear  up  a  soldiery  of 


40  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

the  cross  made  of  sturdier  stuff,  and  animated  by  a  purer 
spirit  than  the  world  had  before  known. 

"  Had  New  England,"  says  the  historian  of  those  times, 
"been  colonized  immediately  on  the  discovery  of  the 
American  continent,  the  old  English  institutions  would 
have  been  planted  under  the  powerful  influence  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  religion.  Had  the  settlement  been  made 
under  Elizabeth,  it  would  have  been  before  the  activity 
of  the  popular  mind  in  religion  had  conducted  to  a  cor- 
responding activity  of  mind  in  politics.  The  Pilgrims 
were  Enghshmen,  protestants,  exiles  for  religion,  men 
disciplined  by  misfortune,  cultivated  by  opportunities  of 
extensive  observation,  equal  in  rank  as  in  rights,  and 
bound  by  no  code  but  that  which  was  imposed  by 
religion,  or  might  be  created  by  the  public  will." 

"  America  opened  as  a  field  of  adventure  just  at  the 
the  time  when  mind  began  to  assume  its  independence, 
and  religion  its  vitality." 

This  continent  seemed  signalized  from  the  first  as  the 
^,  asylum  of  freedom.  Nothing  else  would  thrive  here. 
'^  Ecclesiastical  domination  and  political  despotism  were 
often  transplanted  hither,  and  nourished  by  all  the  kindly 
influences  of  wealth  and  nobility  ;  they  basked  for  a  time 
in  the  sunshine  of  the  court  and  the  king,  yet  they  were 
exotics,  and  never  thrived.  While  it  was  yet  the  spring- 
time of  Puritanism,  its  institutions  taking  root  and  send- 
ing up  its  thrifty  germs,  and  giving  promise  of  a  sturdy 
growth,  those  strange  vines  already  begun  to  look  sear, 
and  give  no  doubtful  tokens  of  a  stinted  existence  and  a 
premature  decay.  Read  the  records  of  the  first  settle- 
ment of  several  of  the  colonies  to  this  country — especially 
one  in  Massachusetts  and  another  in  Virginia,  where 
strenuous  attempts  were  made  to  introduce  the  peculiar 
institutions  of  the  old  world,  and  you  will  not  fail  to 
observe  the  singular  fact  that  all  such  attempts  were  abor- 
'  tive.  Providence  had  decreed  this  should  be  the  land  of 
toleration  and  freedom.  The  colonies  which  were  not 
founded  on  such  principles,  either  failed  of  success,  or  did 
not  prosper  till  leavened  with  the  good  leaven  of  Puritan- 
ism— clearly  indicating  that  Providence  designed  this  to 
be  a  theatre  for  the  more   perfect  development  of  hi^ 


CHARACTER    OF    THE    FIRST    COLONISTS.  41 

grace  to  man.  It  was  Religion  that  built  up  the  first 
nation  in  this  wilderness,  and  it  is  only  our  moi-al  pre- 
eminence and  prospects  that  distinguish  us  from  other 
nations.* 

3.  The  character  of  the  first  colonists.  There  is  per- 
haps nothing  in  which  the  hand  of  God  is  so  conspicuous 
towards  America,  as  in  the  selection  of  the  inaterials  with 
which  to  rear  the  superstructure  of  religion  and  govern- 
ment in  this  new  world.  God  had  been  preparing  these 
materials  nearly  three  centuries.  Wickliff  was  the  father 
of  the  Puritans  ;  and  from  him  followed  a  succession  of 
dauntless  advocates  for  the  emancipation  of  the  human 
mind  from  the  power  of  despotism.  The  mighty  spirits 
that  rose  at  the  time  of  the  reformation  were  but  the 
pupils  of  their  predecessors.  The  principles  so  boldly 
proclaimed  by  Luther,  and  so  logically  and  judiciously 
sustained  by  Calvin,  were  the  principles  matured  and 
more  fully  developed,  of  Huss  and  Jerome — of  many  a 
revolving  mind  in  England  and  on  the  continent.  Puri- 
tanism is  the  reformation  reformed.  The  principles 
which  led  to  the  settlement  of  New  England,  and  which 
pervaded  her  colonies,  and  became  the  only  principles  on 
which  Heaven  would  smile  throughout  this  wide  conti- 
nent, are  but  the  principles  of  the  reformation  matured 
and  advanced.  Those  extraordinary  characters,  who, 
for  religion's  sake,  braved  dangers  incredible,  endured 
sacrifices  that  seemed  not  endurable,  and  periled  all 
things  in  these  western  wilds,  were  Heaven's  chosen 
agents,  to  prepare  a  new  and  a  wider  field  for  the  display 
of  what  Christianity  can  do  to  bless  the  world.  Europe 
had  been  sifted,  and  her  finest  wheat  taken  to  sow  in  this 
American  soil.  Her  hills  and  dales  had  been  again  and 
again  ransacked,  to  collect  the  choice  few  who  should 
found  a  new  state,  and  plant  a  new  church.  The  Pilgrims 
were  the  best  men,  selected  from  the  best  portion  of  the 
best  nation  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  May  we  not,  then, 
indulge  the  delightful  hope  that  God  has  purposes  of  yet 

*  The  first  colony  in  North  America,  save  Mexico,  was  a  Protestant  colony,  planted 
by  Caspar  de  Colijrni,  as  a  city  of  Refui^e  for  Protestants.  It  was  destroyed  expressly 
as  Protestant.  Thus  was  North  America  baptized  by  .Tesuit  priests  with  Protestant 
blood  ;  yet  despite  all  the  machinations  of  Rome,  God  has  confirmed  the  covenant  and 
made  this  land  the  asylum  and  home  of  Protestantism.— ^Bancro/"/,  vol.  I.,  pp.  61,  73. 

4* 


V 


42  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

more  moral  grandeur  to  fulfill,  in  connection  with  this 
country  ? 

Indeed,  this  idea  seems  to  have  been  coupled  with  the 
earliest  conceptions  in  the  mind  of  Columbus,  concerning 
an  American  continent.  That  great  navigator  is  said 
to  have  been  a  diligent  and  devout  student  of  the  prophe- 
cies, and  was  actuated,  in  no  small  degree,  in  his  adven- 
tures westward,  "  by  the  hopes  he  cherished  of  extending 
here  the  kingdom  of  Christ."  And  in  the  mind  of  his 
royal  patroness,  (Isabella  of  Arragon,)  the  conversion  of 
the  heathen  to  Christianity,  was  an  object  "  paramount  to 
all  the  rest."* 

It  was  a  signal  providence  that  prepared  such  mate- 
rials in  the  heart  of  England  and  in  the  bosom  of  the 
English  church,  preserved  them  and  proved- them  in  the 
furnace  of  affliction,  while  in  their  own  land,  and  during 
their  exile  in  Holland,  and  in  their  journeyings  on  the 
deep,  and,  finally,  collected  them  on  the  iron  bound  coasts 
of  New  England,  and  formed  them  into  one  living  tem- 
ple, fitly  joined  together,  furnished  and  beautified  as  a 
model  building  for  generations  yet  to  come. 

The  longer  the  world  stands,  the  more  profoundly  will 
be  revered  the  character  of  our  Pilgrim  fathers,  and  the 
more  religiously  shall  we  admire  the  Divine  agency  which 
so  controlled  events,  that  one  of  the  first  settlements  in 
the  new  world  should  be  composed  of  such  characters, 
and  should  so  soon  gain  a  pre-eminence  over  all  the 
other  colonies,  and  so  soon,  too,  and  in  all  after  time, 
exercise  a  controlling  influence  on  the  destinies  of  the 
whole  country  and  of  the  world.  For  the  institutions  of 
this  country,  both  civil  and  religious,  were  cast  in  the 
mould  of  Puritanism.  Had  any  other  of  the  colonies 
been  allowed  to  stand  in  this  relation  to  the  whole,  how 
different  would  have  been  the  cast  of  American  liberty 
and  religion !  As  it  was,  men  of  the  most  unbending 
integrity  and  untiring  industry ;  men  humble  and  unob- 
trusive, yet  courageous  and  immovable  at  the  post  of 
duty ;  yielding  when  wrong,  yet  inflexible  when  right ; 
plain  and  frugal,  yet  intelligent  and  liberal ;    men  who 

*  Preecott's  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  vol.  II.  p.  496. 


INFLUENCE    OF    THE    PURITANS.  43 

had  been  nurtured  in  the  school  of  persecution,  and  suf- 
fered the  loss  of  all  things,  that  they  might  breathe  the 
uncontaminated  air  of  freedom ;  men  who  hated  oppres- 
sion, abhorred  ignorance  and  vice — who  were,  in  their 
very  souls,  rejmblicans  and  Christians — these  were  the 
men,  chosen  out  by  sovereign  Wisdom,  to  control  the 
destinies  of  the  new  world.  And  they  have  done  it. 
The  enterprise  and  intelligence,  the  undying  love  of 
liberty,  the  religious  spirit — -I  may  say,  the  population  of 
our  puritan  colonies,  have  spread  themselves  over  the 
whole  continent.  And  what  is  worthy  of  special  remark, 
these  only  prosper  in  our  country.  You  look  in  vain 
over  the  wide  expanse  of  our  territory  to  find  thrift  and 
prosperity,  temporal  or  spiritual,  except  under  the 
auspices  of  a  Puritan  influence.  Who  people  our  wide 
western  domains,  and  plant  there  the  institutions  of  learn- 
ing and  religion  ?  Who  found  our  colleges  and  semina- 
ries, publish  our  books,  teach  our  youth,  sustain  our 
benevolent  enterprises,  and  go  to  pagan  lands  to  make 
wretchedness  smile,  and  ignorance  speak  wisdom  ?  By 
whose  skill  and  industry  rolls  the  railroad  car  over  the 
length  and  breadth  of  our  land,  and  whiten  the  ocean  with 
canvas  ?  Who,  if  not  the  sons  of  the  Pilgrims,  nerved 
with  the  spirit  of  the  Pilgrims  ?  Tell  me  in  what  propor- 
tion, in  any  section  of  our  country,  the  people  are  leavened 
with  the  leaven  imported  in  the  May-flower,  and  I  can 
tell  you  in  what  proportion  they  are  an  enterprising, 
prosperous,  moral  and  religious  people.  Time  shall 
expire,  before  the  immeasurable  influences  of  Puritanism 
on  the  destinies  of  our  country  and  the  world  shall  cease 
to  act. 

Massachusetts  and  Mexico  furnish  a  forcible  illustra- 
tion of  our  idea.  Mexico  was  colonized  just  one  hundred 
years  before  Massachusetts.  Her  first  settlers  were  the 
noblest  spirits  of  Spain  in  her  Augustan  age ;  the  epoch 
of  Cervantes,  Cortes,  Pizaro,  Columbus,  Gonzalvo  de 
Cordova,  Cardinal  Ximenes,  and  the  great  and  good  Isa- 
bella. Massachusetts  was  settled  by  the  poor  Pilgrims 
of  Plymouth,  who  carried  with  them  nothing  but  their 
own  hardy  virtues  and  indomitable  energy.  Mexico,  with 
a  rich  soil,  and  adapted  to  the  production  of  every  thing 


1 


44  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

which  grows  out  of  the  earth,  and  possessing  every  metal 
used  by  man — Massachusetts,  with  a  sterile  soil  and  un- 
congenial climate,  and  no  single  article  of  transportation 
but  ice  and  rock.  How  have  these  blessings,  profusely 
given  by  Providence,  been  improved  on  the  one  hand, 
and  obstacles  overcome  on  the  other  ?  What  is  now  the 
respective  condition  of  the  two  countries  ?  In  produc- 
tive industry,  wide-spread  diffusion  of  knowledge,  public 
institutions  of  every  kind,  general  happiness  and  continu- 
ally increasing  prosperity  ;  in  letters,  arts,  morals,  re- 
ligion,— in  every  thing  which  makes  a  people  great,  there 
is  not  in  the  world,  and  there  never  was  in  the  world, 
such  a  commonwealth  as  Massachusetts.  And  Mexico — 
what  is  she  ?* 

But  who  ordered  all  the  circumstances  which  brought 
about  an  event  so  unexpected,  yet  so  influential  as  such 
a  settlement  of  America  ?  And  for  what  purpose — if  not 
that  he  might  here  plant  the  glory  of  Lebanon  and  the 
excellency  of  Carmel  and  Sharon  ?  Here  he  "  prepared 
room  before  it,  and  caused  it  to  take  deep  root." 

4.  Again,  we  discover  the  wonder-working  hand  of 
Providence  in  the  geographical  position  and  resources  of 
our  country,  as  indicating  her  future  destinies  in  refer- 
ence to  the  church  and  the  world. 

There  is  much  w^orthy  of  notice  in  our  geographical 
position.  This  gives  us  peculiar  advantages.  We  are 
separated,  by  the  expanse  of  a  wide  ocean,  from  every 
principal  nation  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  We  may  live 
at  peace  with  all.  The  old  world  may  be  convulsed — 
Europe  and  Asia  be  deluged  in  blood,  yet  not  a  clarion 
of  war  be  heard  west  of  the  Atlantic,  or  a  river  tinged  in 
all  our  wide  domains.  Here  we  may  live  safe  from  all 
those  upheavings  of  revolution,  which  have,  and  which 
will  continue  to  overturn  and  overturn,  till  the  great 
fountains  of  error  and  despotism  be  broken  up,  and  free 
institutions  be  planted  on  their  ruins.  Here  we  may 
direct  all  our  energies,  mental,  physical,  or  moral,  to  the 
consummating  of  those  stupendous  plans  of  Providence 
in  reference  to  this  country.     Far   removed   from   the 

*  See  Waddy  Thompson's  Mexico. 


GEOGRAPHICAL    POSITION    AND    RESOURCES.  45 

lands  where  errors  in  religion  and  politics  had  become 
stereotyped  in  habit,  and  interwoven  in  the  very  warp 
and  woof  of  social  relations,  we  lack  no  opportunity  in 
which  to  try  the  great  experiment  of  Liberty.  Such  are 
our  local  advantages — such  our  institutions,  that  we  may, 
unlike  the  people  of  any  other  nation,  advance  learning, 
establish  and  propagate  religion,  and  subserve  the  general 
interests  of  the  church.  Religion  exists  here  untram- 
meled,  free  as  the  air  we  breathe,  or  the  water  we  drink. 
This  makes  our  nation  more  suitable  than  any  other  to 
become  a  fountain  from  which  shall  go  out  streams  of 
salvation  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

But  a  yet  more  remarkable  feature  is  to  be  found  in 
the  capabilities  of  our  country,  to  become  a  mighty  instru- 
ment in  the  hands  of  God  for  the  universal  spread  of 
Christianity. 

I  have  referred  to  our  facilities  in  free  institutions,  and 
freedom  from  the  trammels  of  ecclesiastical  organizations. 
The  American  church,  if  she  will  go  forth  in  the  vigor 
and  simplicity  of  herself,  would  be  like  a  young  man  pre- 
pared to  run  a  race.  She  is  admirably  constituted  to 
be  Heaven's  almoner  to  the  nations.  Pure  Christianity 
is  republican.  The  American  soil  is  peculiarly  adapted  to 
produce  that  enterprise,  freedom  and  simplicity,  suited  to 
extend  religion  and  its  thousand  blessings  to  the  ends  of  '*^- 
the  earth.  No  church  in  the  world  is  so  constituted  that  ^ 
it  may  put  forth  so  great  a  moral  power.  We  have  only 
to  employ  the  rare  facilities  of  our  position,  to  make  us 
the  most  efficient  instrument  in  the  conversion  of  the 
world. 

But  I  referred  more  especially  to  the  resources  here 
prepared  by  Providence,  for  the  accomplishment  of  the 
work  in  question — resources  in  territory,  in  soil,  in  popu- 
lation prospectively  ;  in  wealth  and  language  ;  in  learning 
and  enterprise  ;  and  in  the  p>ower  of  steam. 

The  present  territory  of  the  United  States  is  equal  to 
that  of  all  Europe,  exclusive  of  Russia.  It  is  more  than 
six  times  larger  than  Great  Britain  and  France  together  ; 
and  as  large  as  China  and  Hindoostan  united. 

And  if  we  admit  that  our  soil  is  not  surpassed  in  fer- 
tility by  any  other,  or  our   climate    in  salubrity,  there 


46  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

seems  nothing  to  hinder  America  becoming  as  populous 
as  any  other  portion  of  the  world.  Suppose  it  to  reach 
the  present  ratio  of  population  in  Europe — 110  to  the 
square  mile — and  there  would  teem  on  our  vast  territo- 
ries a  population  of  220  millions.  Or  should  the  density 
equal  that  of  China — 150  to  the  square  mile — our  popula- 
tion would  be  300  millions.  That  the  soil  of  the  United 
States  is  capable  of  supporting  this  number  there  can  be  no 
doubt.  A  European  writer  of  credit  has  asserted  that  the 
"  resources  of  the  American  continent,  if  fully  developed, 
would  afford  sustenance  to  3,600  millions  of  inhabitants, 
or  four  times  the  present  population  of  the  globe" — and 
that  the  actual  population  will  not  fall  short  of  2,000 
millions — giving  to  the  United  States  270  millions. 

Nor  is  this  merely  what  may  be.  The  present  rapid 
increase  of  our  population  is  actually  swelling  our  num- 
bers into  these  enormous  dimensions.  "  And  what  is 
more  surprising,"  says  the  writer  just  quoted,  "  there  is 
every  probability  that  this  prodigious  population  will  be 
in  existence  within  three  or  four  centuries.  The  imagina- 
tion is  lost  in  contemplating  a  stateof  things  which  will 
make  so  great  and  rapid  a  change  in  the  condition  of  the 
world.  We  almost  fancy  it  a  dream ;  yet  the  result  is 
based  on  principles  quite  as  certain  as  those  which  govern 
men  in  their  ordinary  pursuits."* 

Our  population  is  found  to  double  every  23  years — say. 
for  safety's  sake,  25  years — and  we  have  to  look  forward 
only  100  years,  and  our  present  ratio  of  increase  gives  us 
288  millions ;  or  125  years,  and  we  have  on  our  soil  576 
millions;  or  150  years,  and  we  number  more  than  the 
present  population  of  the  globe.  Indeed,  to  take  the 
result  of  100  years  (288  millions)  as  the  ultimatum  of 
increase  to  which  the  resources  of  our  soil  will  allow  our 
population  to  advance,  and  what  a  host  have  we  here  for 
the  moral  conquest  of  the  world.  And  suppose  this  enor- 
mous population  to  be  what,  under  the  peculiar  smiles  of 
Heaven,  they  ought  to  be  ;  and  what,  in  the  singular 
dealings  of  God,  they  were  designed  to  be  ;  and  what, 
under  the   quickening   and    transforming   power  of  the 

*  De  Toqueville. 


POWER    OF    THE    PRESS.  47 

Holy  Ghost,  they  would  be,  and  how  grand  their  pros- 
pective influence  on  the  regeneration  of  the  world! 
rortray  in  your  mind  a  nation  of  288  millions,  imbued 
with  the  principles  of  Puritan  integrity,  enterprise,  deci- 
sion, self-denial,  and  benevolence ;  her  civil  institutions 
so  modeled  as  to  leave  Religion  free  as  our  mountain  air, 
to  invigorate  the  plants  of  virtue  here,  or  to  waft  its  bless- 
ings over  the  arid  sands  of  Africa,  or  the  snow-top  moun- 
tains of  Tartary ;  her  social  relations  unshackled  by  the 
iron  chains  of  custom  and  caste ;  her  religion  no  longer 
laced  in  the  stays  of  needless  rites,  liturgies,  prelacy,  or 
state  interference  ;  the  public  mind  enlightened  by  an 
eflicient  system  of  common  education  ;  or  you  may,  if 
you  please,  contemplate  our  nation  as  peculiarly  fitted  to 
bring  to  bear  on  the  nations  the  power  of  the  'press,  or  to 
facilitate  the  world's  deliverance  by  the  unlimited  scope 
of  our  navigation — from  whatever  point  you  look,  you 
will  find,  in  this  land  of  the  Pilgrims,  resources  laid  up  in 
store,  by  which  Providence  may,  in  his  own  set  time, 
revolutionize  the  world. 

What  means  this  curtailing  of  distances — this  facility 
of  intercourse  between  the  remotest  points  of  our  own 
country  and  of  the  world,  if  He  that  worketh  all  things 
after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,  be  not  about  to  use  it 
for  the  furtherance  of  the  cause  which  is  as  the  apple  of 
his  eye  ?  If  the  introduction  of  the  Greek  classics  into 
Europe,  drew  aside  the  veil  of  the  dark  ages,  and  the 
invention  of  paper-making  and  of  printing  perpetuated 
the  advantages  of  the  Reformation,  may  we  not  expect 
that  the  application  of  the  power  of  steam  is  destined  to 
subserve  a  scarcely  less  important  end,  in  the  conversion 
of  the  world  ? 

To  appreciate  the  force  of  this,  we  need  to  contemplate 
in  the  same  view,  three  collateral  facts  :  the  extensive 
'prevalence  of  the  English  language,  and  its  treasures  of 
religious  knowledge ;  the  present  supremacy,  on  the 
political  arena,  of  the  nations  ivho  speak  this  language ; 
and  the  singular  distribution  of  these  immense  deposits  of 
coal,  which  are  to  supply  the  power  to  print  and  distri- 
bute books,  and  to  convey  them,  by  whom  "knowledge 
shall  increase,"  over  the  broad  world. 


48  THE  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

Ours  is  the  language  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  of  trade 
and  commerce,  of  civilization  and  religious  liberty.  It  is 
the  language  of  Protestantism — I  had  almost  said,  of 
piety.  It  is  a  store-house  of  the  varied  knowledge  which 
brings  a  nation  within  the  pale  of  civilization  and  Chris- 
tianity. As  a  vehicle  of  our  institutions  and  principles  of 
civil  and  religious  liberty,  it  is  "  belting  the  earth,"  push 
ing  east  and  west,  and  extending  over  the  five  great  geo- 
graphical divisions  of  the  world,  giving  no  doubtful  pre- 
sage that,  with  its  extraordinary  resources  for  ameliorating 
the  condition  of  man,  it  will  soon  become  universal. 
Already  it  is  the  language  of  the  Bible.  More  copies  of 
the  sacred  Scriptures  have  been  published  in  the  English 
language,  than  in  all  other  tongues  combined.  And  the 
annual  issues  in  this  language,  at  the  present  time,  be- 
yond all  doubt,  far  surpass  those  of  all  the  world  be- 
sides. So  prevalent  is  this  language  already  become, 
as  to  betoken  that  it  may  soon  become  the  language  of 
international  communication  for  the  world.*  This  fact, 
connected  with  the  next,  that  the  two  nations  speaking 
this  language  have,  within  a  few  years  past,  gained  the 
most  extraordinary  ascendancy,  holding  in  their  hands 
nearly  all  the  maritime  commerce  and  naval  power  of 
the  world,  giving  tone  to  national  opinion  and  feeling,  and 
sitting  as  arbiters  among  the  nations,  dictating  terms  of 
peace  and  war,  and  extending  their  empire  over  the 
nations  of  the  East,  holds  out  a  glorious  presage  of  the 
part  America  is  destined  to  act  in  the  subjugation  of  the 
world  to  Christ.     I  say  America,  believing  that 

"  Westward  the  star  of  empire  takes  its  way  ; 
The  four  first  acts  already  past, 
A  jifih  shall  close  the  drama  of  the  day. 
Time's  noblest  offspring  is  the  last." 

If  it  be  a  fact  (and  history  proves  it,)   that  wealth, 

*  The  New  York  Observer  recently  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  the  following  for- 
ei<rn  papers  published  in  Eno^lish  : 
Three  pubhshed  at  Hong  Kon^r  and  Canton,  China. 
Ten  or  twelve  in  Hindoostan  and  the  British  East  Indies. 
Four  in  Rome,  (Italy.)  and  about  the  Mediten-anean. 
Four  in  Liberia  and  South  Africa. 

Twelve  or  thirteen  in  Australia  and  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
Four  in  Oregon,  California  and  Northern  Mexico, 
Six  or  seven  in  Southern  Mexico. 


POWER    OF    STEAM.  49 

power,  science,  literature,  all  follow  in  the  train  of  num- 
bers, general  intelligence  and  freedom,  we  may  expect 
that  America  will  ere  long  become  the  metropolis  of 
civilization,  and  the  grand  depository  of  the  vast  re- 
sources which  Providence  has  prepared  for  the  salvation 
of  the  world.  The  same  causes  which  transferred  the 
"  sceptre  of  civilization"  and  the  crown  of  knowledge 
from  the  banks  of  the  Nile  and  the  Euphrates,  must,  at 
no  distant  day,  bear  them  onward  to  the  valley  of  the 
Mississippi. 

But  we  must  not  overlook  our  third  fact :  the  singular 
distribution  of  coal  deposits. 

Coal,  like  the  English  language,  like  freedom,  general 
intelligence,  or  piety,  is  protestant.  In  vain  do  you 
search  the  world  over  to  find  any  considerable  deposit  of 
this  agent,  except  where  the  English  language  is  spoken, 
or  where  the  protestant  religion  is  professed.  Hence  the 
power  of  steam — as  the  power  of  the  press  and  of  com- 
mon education,  three  mighty  transformers  of  nations — 
has  been  given  to  the  people  of  God  for  the  noblest  of 
purposes. 

"  Steam,"  says  the  London  Quarterly,  "  is  the  acknowl- 
edged new  element  of  advancement  by  which  this  age  is 
distinguished  from  all  which  have  preceded  it.  By  its 
magic  power,  distance  is  set  at  nought ;  and  the  produc- 
tions of  the  antipodes  are  brought  rapidly  together.  Coal 
must,  therefore,  henceforth  be  the  motor  and  metor  of  all 
commercial  nations.  Without  it  no  modern  people  can 
become  great,  either  in  manufactures  or  the  naval  art." 

As  an  illustration  of  this,  if  the  digression  may  be 
allowed,  the  mighty  transformations  that  are  this  day 
taking  place  in  the  countries  about  the  Mediterranean, 
especially  among  the  Turks,  where  lives  the  presiding 
genius  of  Moslemism,  might  be  adduced.  The  paddle 
wheels  of  European  intelligence  and  enterprise,  are  there 
daily  breaking  up  the  stagnant  waters  of  oriental  supersti- 
tion, ignorance  and  despotism.  Not  a  steamer  plows  the 
waters  from  the  pillars  of  Hercules  to  the  sea  of  Japan, 
that  goes  not  as  a  herald  of  civilization  and  Christianity 
to  those  benighted  nations. 

And  another  fact :  the  English  Steam  Navigation 
5 


50  THE    HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Company  is  furrowing  the  broad  Pacific  amidst  its  thou- 
sand Islands,  and  along  the  western  main  of  America. 
And,  what  is  yet  more  in  point,  extensive  beds  of  coal 
have  been  found  on  the  western  coasts  of  both  North  and 
South  America,  and  also  on  the  Atlantic  side  of  the  Isth- 
mus of  Panama ;  deposits  stored  away  by  the  hand  of  the 
Great  Disposer,  ready,  at  the  time  of  need,  to  generate  a 
power  that  shall,  at  Heaven's  bidding,  convert  the  whole 
Pacific  into  one  great  highway  for  the  nations  to  pass 
over.* 

Yet,  while  indulging  these  pleasant  anticipations,  I 
have  not  lost  sight  of  the  cloud  that  at  present  darkens 
our  atmosphere.  When  I  speak  of  the  tremendous  power 
of  the  press  for  good,  I  am  aware  of  its  abuse.  When  I 
speak  of  American  enterprise  and  zeal,  I  am  not  unmind- 
ful that  we  can  scarcely,  for  any  length  of  time,  prosecute 
any  good  cause  without  making  it  a  hobby,  and  riding  it 
so  far  and  so  fast,  as  to  cripple  it  for  life,  if  not  to  kill  it. 
We  seem  never  satisfied  in  pursuing  our  plans  of  benevo- 
lence and  reform,  till  we  have  driven  ourselves,  and  all 
about  us,  into  a  swamp  from  which  we  can  neither  extri- 
cate ourselves  nor  be  extricated.  And  when  I  speak  of 
the  stern  principles  which  originated  the  first  settlement 
of  this  country,  and  of  the  admirable  institutions  of  our 
forefathers,  and  of  our  high  pretensions  to  freedom,  intel- 
ligence and  piety,  I  bear  in  mind  that  we  have  proved 
ourselves  unworthy  our  noble  inheritance,  and  recreant 
to  our  good  professions.  But  I  am  attempting  to  look 
beyond  the  cloud,  which  at  present  intercepts  our  vision, 
to  those  better  things  reserved  for  the  second  Israel. 
Despotism  and  anarchy  may  cover  our  land  with  a  tem- 
porary gloom.  So  gross,  indeed,  have  been  our  national 
sins,  and  so  heaven-provoking  our  ingratitude,  and  our 
perversion  of  heaven's  richest  gifts,  that  we  may  expe- 
rience the  divine  rebuke,  sore  as  death,  yet  the  counsels 
of  God  shall  not  come  to  nought.  He  shall  not,  in  vain, 
prepare  such  munitions  of  war,  and  provide  such  vast 


*  The  late  discovery  of  immense  beds  of  coal  on  Vancouver's  Island  deserves  a  more 
Bpecial  notice.  In  the  new  contemplated  route  to  the  Indies,  across  the  American 
continent  and  the  Pacific,  we  are  beginning  to  see  the  reasons  why  these  vast  deposits 
were  placed  there,  and  why  they  are  brought  to  light  just  at  this  tirne. 


OUR    RESPONSIBILITIES    AND    DUTIES.  51 

resources  for  his  work,  and  then  not  make  them  effectual 
in  the  subjugation  of  the  world  to  his  beloved  Son. 

In  the  review  of  this  subject,  the  mind  naturally  recurs 
to  the  great  Disposer  of  events — what  a  display  here  of 
his  sovereignty — of  his  power,  wisdom  and  goodness — - 
how  incomprehensible  his  plans — how  inflexible  his  de- 
termination to  sustain  and  carry  forward  his  cause — how 
infinitely  foolish  is  all  resistance.  Such  reflections  are 
befitting  as  we  read  the  providential  history  of  our  coun- 
try.    Yet  we  ought  here  especially  to  bear  in  mind, 

1.  To  what  a  rich  inhe^ntance  ive  are  born.  One  of 
Heaven's  richest  blessings,  is  a  religious  parentage.  This 
is  a  patrimony  more  precious  than  fine  gold.  Our  na- 
tional parentage  was  eminently  religious.  The  differ- 
ence between  a  people  starting  into  existence  from  bar- 
barism and  ignorance,  or  amidst  all  the  propitious 
circumstances  which  smiled  on  the  first  settlement  of 
this  country,  is  vast  beyond  calculation.  We  were  born 
to  a  rich  inheritance — to  an  undying  love  of  liberty — to 
toleration — to  a  high  state  of  intelligence — to  the  sternest 
principles  of  morality — to  the  unwavering  practice  of 
virtue.  We  ought,  therefore,  to  be  the  most  religious, 
free,  happy,  bevevolent  people  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

2.  Our  responsibilities  and  duties  correspond  with  our 
privileges.  God  expects  much  of  us.  He  has  made  us 
a  full  fountain,  that  we  may  send  forth  copious  streams  to 
fertilize  the  desert  around.  He  has  embodied  in  our 
nation  a  moral  power,  and  put  into  our  hands  a  ma- 
chinery, which,  if  kept  in  operation,  will  not  fail  to  make 
its  power  felt  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  till  all  nations  shall 
be  subjugated  to  Prince  Immanuel. 

3.  America  is  the  land  of  magnificent  experiments — the 
land  in  which  should  be  developed  new  principles  and 
forms  of  government — a  new  social  condition,  and  an 
advanced  condition  of  the  church — popular  government, 
equal  rights  and  a  free  church.  Columbus  added  a  new 
province  to  the  world,  new  territory  for  civilization  and 
religion  to  expand  upon — and  new  domains  on  which 
should  flourish  a  freer  government  and  purer  church  than 
was  practicable  in  the  old  world.  Here  God  is  solving 
certain  great  problems :  can  the  church  support  herself  ? 


52  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Can  a  people  govern  themselves  ?  Can  society  exist 
without  caste  ?  In  the  great  republic  of  North  America, 
these  experiments,  which,  in  the  old  world,  have  resulted 
in  so  indifferent  success,  have  been  in  successful  progress 
three  quarters  of  a  century,  and  we  hazard  little,  it  is 
believed,  in  predicting  their  complete  success.  In  no 
country  have  the  ends  for  which  governments  are  con- 
stituted, been  better  realized,  or  the  designs  of  religion 
been  more  nobly  carried  out,  yet  the  power  of  governing 
lies  in  the  hands  of  the  people,  and  the  support  and 
extension  of  religion  is  dependent  on  free  contributions. 

4.  TJie  tremendous  guilt  of  our  dereliction  in  duty. 
After  all  that  God  has  done  to  make  us  such  a  nation — 
such  a  one  as  he  has  need  of  to  win  over  the  nations  to 
himself,  if  we  hold  ourselves  aloof  from  his  great  plans 
of  mercy  towards  our  world,  and  refuse  the  honor  he 
would  confer  upon  us,  in  making  us  the  instruments  of  his 
will,  we  must  expect  he  will  withdraw  from  us  the  light 
of  his  countenance,  and  choose  others  more  worthy  of 
his  favor.  How  ought  we,  then,  to  fear  lest  we  displease 
God  by  our  apathy,  and  be  left  to  drink  the  cup  of  his 
indignation  for  our  manifold  sins. 

5.  The  immense  immigration  to  our  country  at  the 
present  time,  is  filling  a  page  in  the  providential  history 
of  America,  not  to  be  overlooked.  Had  such  immigra- 
tions taken  place  at  any  former  period  of  our  history,  they 
would  have  ruined  us.  Every  receding  wave  of  the  At- 
lantic, returns  freighted  with  a  new  cargo  of  foreign  pop- 
ulation. This  heterogeneous  mass  now  amounts  to  near 
half  a  million  annually.  At  no  former  period  could  our 
young  and  forming  institutions  have  sustained  the  shock 
of  so  huge  a  mass.  What  would  have  crushed  the  sap- 
ling, may  not  harm  the  sturdy  oak.  Perhaps  we  cannot 
meet  unharmed  the  shock  now  :  certainly  not,  unless  our 
institutions  are  founded  deep  and  firm  in  the  basis  of 
everlasting  truth,  and  stand  as  a  rock  amidst  the  rolling 
waves.  We  do,  however,  indulge  the  hope  that  such  is 
now  the  maturity  and  stability  of  our  civil  and  religious 
institutions,  that  we  may,  with  safety  to  ourselves,  and 
great  benefit  to  the  surplus  population  of  the  old  world, 
open   wide  our  arms  and  receive  them  to  our  bosom. 


IMMIGRATION    TO    OUR    COUNTRY.  53 

And  now  that  we  are  prepared  to  receive  them,  oppres- 
sion, famine,  pestilence  and  revolution,  conjoin  to  eject 
immense  masses  from  Europe  to  seek  an  asylum  in  this 
new  world. 

We  cannot  here  too  profoundly  admire  the  wisdom  of 
that  Providence,  which  has  hitherto  delayed  the  full  tide 
of  immigration  till  we  were  able  to  bear  it.  What  fear- 
ful responsibilities  has  God  laid  upon  us  !  What  wisdom 
and  virtue  is  needed  in  our  national  counsels ;  what 
faith,  and  holiness,  and  prayer,  in  the  church !  Millions 
of  the  papal  world  are,  like  an  overwhelming  tide,  rolling 
in  upon  us,  to  be  enlightened,  elevated,  Christianized,  and 
taught  the  privileges  and  prerogatives  of  freemen — to 
say  nothing  here  of  the  three  millions  of  instruments 
placed  in  our  hands  by  a  system  of  unrighteous  bondage, 
to  "  sharpen,  polish,  and  prepare  for  the  subjugation  of 
another  continent  to  the  Prince  of  Peace." 


CHAPTER  III. 


The  Reformation.— General  remarks— state  of  Europe  and  the  world.  The  Cru- 
sades— their  cause  and  effect.  Revival  of  Greek  literature  in  Europe.  The  Arabs. 
Daring  spirit  of  inquiry.  Bold  spirit  of  adventure.  Columbus.  The  Cabots. 
Charles  V.  Henry  VIII.  Francis  I.  Leo  X.  Rise  of  liberty.  Feudalism.  Distri- 
bution of  political  power. 

"  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  are  reputed  as  nothing ;  and 
he  doeth  according  to  his  will  in  the  army  of  heaven^  and  amonp^ 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and  none  can  stay  his  hand^  or  say 
unto  hi?n,  What  doest  thou?''' — Daniel,  iv.  35. 

So  spake  the  monarch  of  Chaldea  after  he  had  been 
brought  by  a  most  signal  interposition  of  Divine  Provi- 
dence, to  "  bless  the  Most  High,  and  to  praise  and  honor 
Him  that  liveth  forever" — another  illustrious  instance  of 
the  sovereignty  of  Providence  in  the  extension  of  the 

6* 


54  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

true  religion.  God  spake  and  it  was  done — He  looked 
on  the  throne  of  the  potent  monarch,  and  it  trembled ; 
he  touched  the  towering  hills  of  Babylon's  pride  and 
power,  and  they  vanished  like  smoke.  The  name  of  the 
God  of  Israel  was  proclaimed  from  the  throne,  from  the 
palace  and  the  court,  and  wafted  on  by  princes,  nobles, 
and  people,  throughout  the  vast  dominions  of  the  Chal- 
dean empire. 

So  God  has  always  shaped  the  destinies  of  nations,  to 
suit  the  prosperity  of  his  church ;  turning  the  hearts  of 
kings,  princes,  and  people,  to  favor  Zion  as  her  need  re- 
quire, or  blotting  out  of  existence  the  nation  that  should 
dare  to  raise  its  hand  against  the  Lord's  anointed  ones. 
It  is  awfully  grand  to  contemplate  the  exactitude  with 
which  the  declaration  has  been  verified :  ''  I  will  bless 
them  that  bless  thee,  and  curse  him  that  curseth  thee.'' 
And  it  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  no  people  or  nation, 
since  the  call  of  Abraham,  have  lifted  their  hand  to  op- 
press or  maltreat  the  true  church,  and  not,  in  their  turn, 
fallen  under  the  ban  of  the  Divine  displeasure.  Did  La- 
ban  prosper  after  he  defrauded  Jacob  of  his  wages  ?  Did 
the  Egyptians  prosper  after  they  began  to  afflict  the  peo- 
ple of  God  ?  Was  it  well  with  the  Moabites,  who  refused 
to  let  Israel  pass,  or  to  relieve  their  necessities  with  bread 
and  water  ?  Where  now  are  those  mighty  empires  who 
once  presumed  to  raise  the  arm  of  oppression  against  Is- 
rael ?  Egypt,  Moab,  Amnion,  the  nations  of  Palestine — 
proud  Babylon,  imperial  Rome  ?  So  shall  it  be  with  the 
King's  enemies.  Has  Spain  ever  prospered  since  she 
drew  the  sword  of  persecution  against  the  seed  of  Jacob  ? 
Has  the  white  flag  of  peace  since  waved  a  truce  to 
Heaven's  indignation  ?  Where  are  those  kingdoms,  that, 
during  the  bloody  reign  of  the  Beast,  devoured  fifty  mill- 
ions of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  ? — burning,  torturing, 
impaling,  butchering,  without  mercy,  the  unoflJending 
children  of  God  ? 

On  the  other  hand,  how  was  it  with  Ahimelech,  who 
proffered  his  generous  hospitality  to  the  patriarch  Abra- 
ham ?  How  with  the  Egyptians,  while  they  favored  the 
heirs  of  promise  ?     And  how  went  the  world  with  Obed- 


REFORMATION  OF  THE  SIXTEENTH  CENTURY.  55 

edom  while  the  ark  of  the  Lord  found  a  resting  place  in 
his  house  ? 

How  have  the  mighty  wheels  of  Providence  rolled  on, 
crushing  beneath  them  all  that  opposeth,  and  bearing 
aloft,  far  above  the  stormy  atmosphere  of  earth,  the  pre- 
cious interests  of  Zion  !  How  have  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth,  the  great,  the  noble,  the  wise,  been  reputed  as 
nothing,  while  the  sovereign  Lord  has  done  according  to 
his  ivill  in  the  army  of  heaven,  and  among  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth,  and  none  can  stay  his  hand  or  say  to  him, 
What  doest  thou  ? 

The  next  event  selected  by  which  to  illustrate  our  gen- 
eral subject,  is  the  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
This  is  another  of  those  great  instrumentalities,  cradled 
in  the  fifteenth  century,  which  Providence  employed,  on 
the  breaking  away  of  the  darkness  of  the  dark  ages,  for 
the  honor  and  enlargement  of  his  church. 

We  should  view  this  extraordinary  event  from  three 
points :  Its  causes  and  preliminary  steps :  The  great 
transaction  itself :  Some  of  its  general  results. 

No  attempt  will  be  made  to  furnish  a  history  of  the 
Reformation,  or  to  gauge  the  vast  dimensions  of  its  influ- 
ence on  the  world.  I  present  it  only  as  a  magnificent 
scheme  of  Providence  for  the  advancement  of  his  church. 

L  Causes  and  preliminary  steps.  That  we  may  have 
some  just  idea  of  the  origin  and  real  character  of  the  Re- 
formation, we  shall  needs  take  a  brief  survey  of  the  civil, 
moral  and  religious  condition  of  Europe  and  of  the 
world,  previous  to  this  notable  event. 

You  cannot,  without  astonishment,  read  the  history  of 
those  times.  It  would  seem  as  if  man  had  then  yielded 
up  the  native  dignity  of  manhood,  and  consented  to  pros- 
titute the  nobility  of  immortal  mind  to  the  meanest  pur- 
poses of  ignorance,  superstition,  and  crime.  The  history 
of  the  dark  ages  may  be  written  in  a  word — it  was  an 
INTELLECTUAL  THRALDOM.  The  lamp  of  intelligence  had 
been  extinguished  amidst  the  floods  of  barbarism,  which 
swept,  wave  after  wave,  over  the  Romish  church  and 
empire.  Hence  that  general  corruption  of  religion  which 
disgraced  the  church,  and  made  the  church  disgrace  the 
world — hence  the  vile  brood  of  superstitions  which  over- 


56  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

ran  and  spoiled  the  fair  heritage  of  God,  and  the  disgust- 
ing combinations  of  vice  and  crime  which  invaded  the 
very  temple  of  the  church,  not  sparing  the  altar. 

Religion  finds  no  rest  in  the  bosom  of  ignorance. 
Cradle  her  there,  and  she  pines  and  dies ;  or,  rather,  in- 
stead of  being  the  bird  of  paradise,  fledged  with  angels' 
wings,  and  borne  aloft  with  the  eagle's  strength,  and 
plumed  with  a  seraph's  beauty,  she  becomes  the  loathsome 
reptile  of  superstition,  without  form  or  comeliness,  with- 
out soul  or  spirit. 

A  night  of  a  thousand  years  had  brooded  over  the 
earth.  It  was  long  and  tempestuous,  as  if  the  light  of 
moral  day  were  extinguished  forever,  and  the  king  of 
darkness  had  begun  his  final  reign.  Only  here  and  there, 
over  the  wide  expanse,  glimmered  the  light  of  science, 
and  the  lamp  of  religion  burnt  but  dimly  amidst  the  gen- 
eral desolation.  Despotism,  religious  and  civil,  crushed 
the  energies  of  the  immortal  mind,  and  iniquity,  like  a 
flood  deep  and  broad,  submerged  all  Europe.  Nearly  all 
the  learning  that  did  exist,  was  confined  to  the  clergy ; 
and  yet  they  were  so  profoundly  ignorant  as  to  afford  a 
subject  of  universal  reproach  and  ridicule.  In  a  council 
held  in  992,  it  was  asserted  there  w^as  scarcely  a  person 
in  Rome  itself  who  knew  the  first  elements  of  letters.  In 
Spain,  not  one  priest  in  a  thousand  could  address  a  com- 
mon letter  of  salutation  to  a  friend.  In  England,  not  a 
priest  south  of  the  Thames  understood  the  common 
prayers,  or  could  translate  a  sentence  of  Latin  into  his 
mother  tongue.  Learning  was  almost  extinct.  Its  flick- 
ering lamp  scarcely  emitted  a  ray  of  light. 

And,  as  might  be  expected,  this  long  and  dreary  night 
of  ignorance  generated  a  loathsome  brood  of  supersti- 
tions. Controversies  were  settled  by  ordeal.  The  ac- 
cused person  was  made  to  prove  his  innocence  by  hold- 
ing, with  impunity,  red-hot  iron,  or  plunging  the  arm  into 
boiling  fluids,  or  walking,  unharmed,  on  burning  coals,  or 
on  red-hot  plowshares.  Nothing  can  surpass  the  wild  fa- 
naticims  of  that  period.  To  such  a  height  did  the 
phrenzy  for  a  crusade  to  the  Holy  Land  rise,  that  in  one 
instance,  (1211,)  an  army  of  ninety  thousand,  mostly 
children,  and  commanded  by  a  child,  set  out  from  Ger- 


THE  DARK  AGES.  57 

many  for  the  purpose  of  recovering  the  Holy  Land  from 
Infidels.  Again  we  meet  with  the  "  Brethren  of  the  white 
caps,"  dealing  out  vengeance  and  blood,  in  honor  of  the 
peaceful  Lady  of  Loretto.  Next  arises  a  Jehu,  who 
thinks  he  can  in  no  way  serve  God  so  acceptably  as  by 
leading  an  immense  rabble  on  a  crusade  against  the 
clergy,  monasteries,  and  the  Jews,  plundering,  massacre- 
ing,  butchering  wherever  they  went ;  and  all  this,  of 
course,  for  religion's  sake.  And  as  yet  more  character- 
istic of  those  times,  and  of  the  misguided  zeal  of  unen- 
lightened piety,  rose  the  Flagellants.  This  religious  con- 
tagion, not,  as  usual,  confined  to  the  populace,  spread 
among  every  rank,  age,  and  sex.  Immense  crowds 
marched,  two  by  two,  in  procession  along  the  streets  and 
Dublic  roads,  mingling  groans  and  dolorous  hymns  with 
'.he  sounds  of  leathern  whips,  which  they  applied  without 
nercy  to  their  own  naked  backs.  The  Bianchi  wan- 
dered from  city  to  city,  and  from  province  to  province, 
bearing  before  them  a  huge  crucifix,  and  with  their  faces 
covered  and  bent  towards  the  ground,  crying,  ^^  miseri- 
cordia,"  ^' ?nisericordia ;"  and  what  is  not  to  be  over- 
looked in  these  phrenzied  religionists  as  identifying  them 
with  modern  fanatics,  a  prominent  article  in  their  creed 
w^as,  that  all  who  did  not  join  their  craft  and  act  as  ab- 
surdly as  themselves,  were  branded  as  heretics  and  en- 
emies. 

The  legendary  tales  of  those  days  are  too  absurd  to  re- 
peat, and,  to  save  humanity  a  blush,  we  fain  hope  they 
did  not  gain  any  very  general  credence,  even  in  those 
degenerate  times.  They  show  how  faint  the  light  of  in- 
tellect may  shine,  and  how  groveling  man  may  become. 

I  mention  but  one  more  instance,  which  more  strikingly 
illustrates  the  extreme  debasement  into  which  the  human 
mind  had  fallen,  and  the  hopeless  corruption  of  the 
church.  I  allude  to  indulgences.  The  doctrine  of  pen- 
ance had  long  been  taught  in  the  church.  Salvation 
was  of  works.  But  it  did  not  sufficiently  subserve  the 
interests  of  a  mercenary  priesthood,  that  the  poor  delin- 
quent should  go  through  five,  ten,  or  twenty  years  of 
penance,  or  submit  to  some  barbarous  austerity.     An  ex- 


58  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

pedient  was  devised,  more  agreeable  to  the  penitent, 
more  profitable  to  the  priest. 

It  was  at  length  discovered  that  the  sacrifice  of  Christ 
did  much  more  than  to  reconcile  God  to  man.  It  accu- 
mulated an  inexhaustible  treasury  of  merit  in  the  church, 
left  at  the  disposal  of  the  Pope !  and  that  this  accumula- 
tion is  increased  by  the  supererogatory  merits  of  the 
saints,  the  reward  of  works  over  and  above  the  obliga- 
tions of  duty. 

It  now  only  remained  to  label  every  sin  with  its  Tprice, 
and  to  add  purgatory  to  the  dominions  of  the  Pope. 
Then  the  proclamation : — perjury,  robbery,  murder,  in- 
cest, any  thing  you  please !  if  you  will  pay  the  price. 
Mendicants,  friars,  priests,  bishops,  now  traverse  the 
country,  proclaiming  an  eternal  amnesty  with  heaven, 
provided  the  Pope's  coffers  be  filled,  and  his  hirelings  be 
well  paid.  Money  now  became  the  key  which  alone 
could  open  heaven  and  none  could  shut,  or  shut  hell  and 
none  could  open.  The  most  scandalous  sins  which,  ac- 
cording to  the  orthodoxy  of  more  ancient  Romanism, 
would  have  cost  years  of  penance,  might  now  be  com- 
mitted for  a  few  shillings.  This  was  an  improvement  ol 
the  thirteenth  century ! 

The  influence  of  this  system  on  public  morals  cannot 
be  mistaken.  Virtue  was  scouted  from  the  earth — at 
least  she  sought  a  hiding  place  in  the  caves  and  dens  ol 
obscurity.  And  no  marvel  that  the  clergy  were  inde- 
cently idle,  haughty,  avaricious,  and  dissolute ;  and  the 
common  people  sunk  in  turpitude  still  lower.  Churches 
were  filled  with  relics,  the  pulpit  occupied  by  worthless 
priests,  and  the  world,  to  all  appearance,  abandoned  to 
the  empire  of  sin. 

Nor  was  the  civil  condition  of  the  world  more  prom- 
ising. Despotism  had  bound  all  nations  fast  in  iron 
chains,  and  there  was  none  to  deliver.  The  Papacy  in 
the  west,  and  Moslemism  in  the  east,  had  hushed  to  sleep 
the  last  throbbings  of  liberty.  The  Pope  set  his  iron  heel 
on  the  necks  of  kings,  and  made  emperors  hold  his  stirrup 
while  he  mounted  his  horse.  The  dark  curtain  of  des- 
potism was  drawn  around  the  world ;  yet,  during  the 
long  and  dismal  night,  ever  and  anon  a  gleam  of  light 


THE  CRUSADES.  59 

breaks  above  the  horizon — a  morning  star  amidst  the  sa- 
ble drapery  of  the  East.  Expectant  piety  hopes  the  day 
is  breaking  ;  and  knowledge,  long  benighted,  and  freedom, 
sorely  oppressed,  inspire  the  hope  of  speedy  relief  But 
in  a  moment,  all  is  overcast.  A  cloud,  darker  than  be- 
fore, gathers  about  the  eastern  sky. 

The  first  considerable  event  that  moved  these  stagnant 
waters  of  ignorance  and  sin,  was  the  quixotic  expeditions 
of  European  nations  to  the  East,  called  the  Crusades. 
To  the  dormant  mind  of  Europe,  these  were  as  if  a  burn- 
ing mountain  were  cast  into  the  sea.  They  produced 
some  light,  more  smoke,  and  much  convulsion.  They 
broke  the  spell  of  slavery,  which  had  for  more  than  six 
centuries  manacled  the  human  mind.  Here  was  struck 
the  death  blow  to  mental  despotism — here  the  work  of 
emancipation  begun,  though  in  its  details,  strength  and 
beauty,  it  was  not  completed  for  some  centuries.  Now 
men  begun  again  to  launch  forth  on  the  untried  ocean  of 
thought;  and,  unskilled  as  they  were,  and  unfurnished 
with  chart,  rudder,  and  compass,  no  wonder  some  foun- 
dered. But  we  must  look  upon  this  great  drama  a  little 
more  particularly. 

Deluded  by  the  idea  that  the  end  of  the  world  was 
near,  and  burning  with  enthusiasm  to  deliver  from  the 
profane  tread  of  infidels  the  land  where  the  Prince  of 
Life  lived,  taught,  suffered,  and  died,  and  where  still  was 
the  Holy  Sepulchre  ;  and,  indignant  at  the  recital  of  the 
oppressions  and  cruelties  inflicted  on  Christian  pilgrims, 
all  Europe  was  roused  to  raise  the  banners  of  the  cross, 
and  march  to  the  rescue  of  the  holy  hill  of  Zion,  and  in 
vindication  of  the  Holy  Virgin.  All  sorts  of  motives,  am- 
bition, avarice,  love  of  adventure  ;  the  promise  of  exemp- 
tion from  debts,  taxes,  and  punishment  for  crimes ;  reli- 
gious zeal  and  bigotry,  and  the  confident  hope  of  heaven, 
stirred  up  the  people  of  all  ranks,  ages,  and  sexes,  to  embark 
their  lives  and  fortunes  in  these  holy  expeditions.  Princes 
hoped  to  enlarge  the  boundaries  of  their  empire,  and  add 
new  stars  to  their  crowns ;  priests  and  popes  hoped  to 
reach  farther  and  to  extend  wider  the  arms  of  their 
ghostly  dominion ;  and  all  classes  hoped,  by  some  means, 
to  further  their  own  interests,  or  minister  to  their  gratifi- 


60  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

cation.  Six  millions  of  souls,  following  the  ignis-fatuus 
of  an  overheated  imagination,  were,  from  time  to  time, 
led  out  of  Europe  to  mark  their  pathway  to  the  East  with 
blood,  or  to  whiten  the  hills  and  valleys  of  Palestine  with 
their  bones. 

Though  visionary  in  the  extreme,  and  prodigal  of  life 
and  treasure,  and  unsuccessful  in  their  professed  object, 
yet,  from  all  this  confusion  came  order,  from  all  this  dark- 
ness, light,  and  from  the  most  miserable  combination  of 
evil,  was  educed  a  lasting  good.  The  fountains  of  the 
great  deep  were  now  broken  up,  the  stagnations  of  igno- 
rance and  corruption  which  had  for  centuries  choked  and 
poisoned  all  that  attempted  to  live,  and  breathe,  and 
move  in  them,  began  to  heave  and  give  signs  of  such 
coming  commotion  as  must,  ere  long,  purify  their  putrid 
waters. 

A  spirit  of  enterprise  from  this  time  nerved  the  arm  of 
every  nation  in  Europe.  A  highway  was  opened  to  the 
nations  of  the  East.  The  barbarity  and  ignorance  of  Eu- 
rope were  brought  into  comparison  with  the  greater  in- 
telligence, wealth,  and  civilization  of  Asia.  The  bounda- 
ries of  men's  ideas  were  greatl}^  enlarged.  They  saw  in 
the  advanced  condition  of  the  Orientals,  the  advantages 
which  the  arts  and  sciences,  industry  and  civilization, 
give  a  people.  In  these  they  discovered  the  main  spring 
of  national  greatness,  and  of  social  and  individual  com- 
fort and  prosperity.  They  formed  new  commercial  rela- 
tions ;  acquired  new  ideas  of  agriculture — the  handicrafts 
of  industry  were  plied  to  minister  to  the  new  demands 
which  an  acquaintance  with  the  East  had  created.  They 
lost,  too,  amidst  Asiatic  associations,  many  of  the  super- 
stitions and  prejudices  which  had  so  long  kept  the  mind 
of  Europe  in  bondage,  and  acquired  new  views  in  all  the 
economy  of  life.  And  strange,  if,  on  their  return,  they 
did  not  profit  by  the  new^  habits  and  information  they  had 
acquired. 

Here  we  date  the  early  dawn  of  the  day  that  should 
soon  rise  upon  the  nations.  Ever  and  anon  the  darkness 
broke  away,  and  light  gleamed  above  the  horizon. 
Learning  began  to  revive  ;  colleges  and  universities  were 
founded ;  an  acquaintance  with  the  East  had  introduced 


REVIVAL  OF  LEARNING.  61 

into  Europe  the  Greek  classics,  which  fixed  a  nev\^  era  in 
its  Hterature,  as  v^ell  as  worked  wonders  in  the  progress 
of  its  civilization.  For  the  Greek  language  had,  for  cen- 
turies, been  the  language  of  history,  of  the  arts  and  sci- 
ences, of  civilization  and  religion.  Philo  and  Josephus 
chose  to  embalm  the  chronicles  of  their  times  in  the 
Grecian  tongue,  that  they  might  thus  speak  to  more  of 
the  world's  population  than  in  any  other  language.  And 
when  Socrates  and  Aristotle  reasoned  and  wrote  in  their 
mother  tongue,  they  reasoned  and  wrote  for  the  civiliza- 
tion and  elevation  of  Europe,  fifteen  centuries  afterwards. 
And  when  Alexander  pushed  his  conquests  eastward,  and 
settled  Greek  colonies  near  the  confines  of  India,  (in 
Bactria,)  he  opened  the  way,  through  Christian  churches 
planted  in  Bactria,  for  the  introduction  of  the  gospel,  cen- 
turies after,  in  Tartary  and  China. 

The  introduction  of  Greek  literature  into  Europe  did 
much  to  draw  aside  the  veil  of  the  dark  ages.  By  this 
means  the  society,  the  ethics,  the  improvements  of  an- 
cient Greece,  were  now  disinterred  from  the  dust  of  ages, 
and  transmitted,  reanimated  and  nourished  on  the  soil  of 
modern  Europe. 

And  what,  in  the  history  of  Providence,  should  not  be 
here  overlooked,  the  Arabs,  the  determined  foes  of  Chris- 
tianity, were  used  as  the  instruments  of  preserving  and 
transmitting  that  knowledge  which,  finally,  became  the 
regenerator  of  Europe.  They  were  made  to  subserve 
the  purposes  of  the  truth,  up  to  a  certain  point,  when  the 
privilege  was  transferred  to  worthier  hands.  At  the 
period  of  which  I  am  speaking,  it  seemed  altogether  prob- 
able that  learning  and  the  arts,  the  power  of  knowledge 
and  the  press,  would  be  transmitted  to  future  ages 
through  the  followers  of  the  false  prophet.  For  it  was 
through  them  that  learning  revived,  and  the  inventions 
and  discoveries,  which  so  effectually  wield  the  destinies 
of  the  world,  were  divulged. 

In  less  than  a  century  after  the  Saracens  first  turned 
their  hostile  spears  against  their  foreign  enemies,  (the 
Greeks,  at  the  battle  of  Muta,  in  630,)  their  empire  ex- 
ceeded in  extent  the  greatest  monarchies  of  ancient 
times.     The  successors  of  the  prophet  were  the  most 

6 


62  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

powerful  and  absolute  sovereigns  on  the  earth.  Their 
caliphs  exercised  a  most  unlimited  and  undefined  pre- 
rogative— reigned  over  numerous  nations,  from  Gibral- 
ter  to  the  Chinese  sea,  two  hundred  days'  journey  from 
east  to  west.  And,  what  is  no  less  extraordinary,  within 
about  the  same  period,  after  the  barbarous  act  of  Omar, 
which  consigned  to  the  flames  the  splendid  library  of 
Alexandria,  (640,)  the  world  became  indebted  to  the  Sar- 
acens in  respect  to  literature  and  science — though  it  was 
nearly  two  centuries  more  before  they  attained  to  their 
Augustan  age. 

The  court  of  the  caliph  became  the  resort  of  poets, 
philosophers,  and  mathematicians,  from  every  country, 
and  from  every  creed.  Literary  relics  of  the  conquered 
countries  were  brought  to  the  foot  of  the  throne — hun- 
dreds of  camels  were  seen  entering  Bagdad,  loaded  with 
volumes  of  Greek,  Hebrew,  and  Persian  literature,  trans- 
lated by  the  most  skillful  interpreters  into  the  Arabic  lan- 
guage. Masters,  instructors,  translators,  commentators, 
formed  the  court  at  Bagdad.  Schools,  academies,  and 
libraries  were  established  in  every  considerable  town,  and 
colleges  were  munificently  endowed.  It  was  the  glory  of 
every  city  to  collect  treasures  of  literature  and  science 
throughout  the  Moslem  dominions,  whether  in  Asia,  Af- 
rica, or  Europe.  Grammar,  eloquence  and  poetry  were 
cultivated  with  great  care.  So  were  metaphysics,  phi- 
losophy, political  economy,  geography,  astronomy,  and  the 
natural  sciences.  Botany  and  chemistry  were  cultivated 
with  ardor  and  success.  The  Arabs  particularly  excelled 
in  architecture.  The  revenue  of  kingdoms  were  ex- 
pended in  public  buildings  and  fine  arts ;  painting,  sculp- 
ture, and  music,  shared  largely  in  their  regards.  And  in 
nothing  did  they  more  excel  than  in  agriculture  and 
metallurgy.  They  were  the  depositories  of  science  in  the 
dark  ages,  and  the  restorers  of  letters  to  Europe. 

Had  not  this  course  of  things  been  arrested — had  not 
a  mandate  from  the  skies  uttered  the  decree,  that  the 
Arabian  should  no  longer  rule  in  the  empire  of  letters,  how 
different  would  have  been  the  destiny  of  our  race !  In- 
stead of  the  full-orbed  day  of  the  Sun  of  Righteouness, 
casting  his  benignant  rays  on  our  seminaries  of  learning, 


POWER    OF  SCIENCE  AND  THE  ARTS.  63 

they  would  have  grown  up  under  the  pale  and  sickly  hues 
of  the  crescent.  The  power  of  science  and  the  arts, 
printing  and  paper-making,  the  mariner's  compass  and 
the  spirit  of  foreign  discovery,  and  the  power  of  steam, 
(all  Arabian  in  their  origin,)  would  have  been  devoted  to 
the  propagation  and  establishment  of  Mohammedanism. 
The  press  had  been  a  monopoly  of  the  Arabian  imposture  ; 
and  the  Ganges  and  Euphrates,  the  Red  sea  and  the  Cas- 
pian, illumined  only  by  the  moon-light  of  Islam,  would 
have  been  the  channels  through  which  the  world's  com- 
merce would  have  flowed  into  Mohammedan  emporiums. 

But  He  that  controlleth  all  events,  would  not  have  it  so. 
These  mighty  engines  of  reformation  and  advancement 
should  nerve  the  arm  of  truth ;  the  press  be  the  hand- 
maid of  Christianity,  to  establish  and  embalm  its  doc- 
trines and  precepts  on  the  enduring  page ;  and  the  con- 
trol which  men  should  gain  over  the  elements,  to  facili- 
tate labor,  contract  distances,  and  bring  out  the  resources 
of  nature,  be  the  handmaid  of  the  Cross.  Otherwise, 
Christianity  had  been  the  twin  sister  of  barbarism  ;  and 
Moslemism  and  Idolatry  had  been  nurtured  under  the  fa- 
voring influences  of  learning,  civilization,  and  the  art  of 
printing.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  press,  up  to 
the  present  day,  has  been  confined  almost  exclusively 
within  the  precincts  of  Christianity. 

And  not  only  has  Providence  so  interposed  as  to  con- 
sign to  the  hands  of  civilization  and  Christianity,  almost 
the  exclusive  monopoly  of  the  press,  but,  under  the  gui- 
dance of  the  same  unerring  Wisdom,  the  future  literature, 
as  well  as  the  society  and  government  of  the  Gentile 
nations,  is  likely  to  descend  to  them  through  the  purest 
Christianity.  While  science  and  literature  are  cultivated 
and  honored  by  Christian  nations,  they  are  stationary  or 
retrograde  among  Pagans  and  Mohammedans.  This  is 
giving  Christianity  immense  advantages.  For  nearly  the 
entire  supply  of  books,  schools,  and  the  means  of  educa- 
tion, are  furnished  through  Christian  missions.  Almost 
the  only  book  of  the  convert  from  heathenism,  is  the 
Bible,  or  a  religious  book.  Who  but  the  Christian  mis- 
sionary, form  alphabets,  construct  grammars  and  diction- 
aries for  Pagan  nations,  and  thus  form  the  basis  of  their 


64  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

literature,  and  guide  their  untutored  minds  in  all  matters 
of  education,  government  and  religion  ?  In  these  things, 
how  admirable  the  orderings  of  Providence.  Christianity 
at  once  takes  possession  of  the  strong  holds  of  society, 
and  gives  promise  of  permanency.  For  there  is  all  the 
difference  of  civilization  and  barbarism,  of  religion  and  infi- 
delity, in  the  kind  of  literature  a  people  have.  If  sup- 
plied by  the  enlightened  mind,  the  pure  heart,  and  the 
liberal  hand  of  Christianity,  it  will  be  as  a  fountain  of 
living  waters. 

Another  providential  feature  of  the  period  now  under 
review,  was  a  spu'it  of  bold  inquiry. 

As  the  time  for  the  world's  emancipation  from  the 
thraldom  of  the  dark  ages  drew  near,  there  was  a  singu- 
lar boldness  for  overstepping  the  wonted  boundaries  of 
thought.  Ignorance  and  superstition  had  so  narrowed 
the  compass  of  men's  ideas,  that  it  had  become  a  crime, 
— at  least  a  heresy,  for  one  to  think  further  than  his  fa- 
thers had  done.  It  is  exceedingly  interesting  to  trace  the 
progress  of  the  human  mind  from  the  eleventh  to  the  six- 
teenth century.  The  inundation  of  the  Roman  empire,  by 
northern  barbarians,  as  completely  extinguished  the  lamp 
of  learning,  as  the  light  of  religion.  The  dark  ages  Avere 
the  winter  season  of  the  human  mind.  Though  not 
annihilated,  its  activities  were  repressed,  and  it  lay  in  a 
torpid  state,  awaiting  its  resuscitation  on  the  return  of 
spring.  There  seemed  written  on  the  furled  banners  of 
the  returning  crusaders,  "  Lo,  the  winter  is  past."  Mind 
was  uncaged.  The  holy  wars  had  given  to  its  domains 
an  enchanting  extension.  The  social  sphere  was  en- 
larged, and,  on  every  side,  an  opening  field  for  all  sorts 
of  activity. 

Mind  was  now  roused  from  its  long  sleep.  Popery 
and  despotism  could  not  much  longer  enslave  it.  There 
now  arose,  for  the  carrying  out  of  providential  schemes, 
great  and  glorious,  a  class  of  bold  thinkers,  who  quailed 
not  before  the  thunders  of  the  Vatican,  nor  recoiled  to 
investigate  maxims,  doctrines  or  practices,  because  ven- 
erable for  age,  or  disdained  truth,  because  fresh  with  nov- 
elty. 

Years  before  Columbus  launched  his  adventurous  bark 


SPIRIT  OF  BOLD  INaUIRY.  65 

on  the  pathless  Atlantic,  or  Martin  Luther  shook  the 
foundations  of  Rome,  there  was  a  rousing  up  of  the  dor- 
mant mind  of  Europe,  and  a  bold  demand  for  truth. 
Fiction,  romance,  legends  of  saints,  cloisters  and  ghosts 
could  no  longer  suffice.  Schools  of  learning, — the  minds 
of  the  first  scholars  in  Christendom  were  seized  with  an 
unwonted  mania  for  investigation.  And  not  only  the 
universities  and  chief  seminaries  of  learning,  but  the 
same  spirit  had  crept  into  tribunals  of  justice,  and  halls 
of  legislation,  had  looked  into  the  windows  of  palaces, 
and  seized  on  the  minds  of  nobles  and  princes.  Not  only 
divines  of  the  most  profound  erudition,  but  philosophers 
and  eminent  scholars  of  noble  blood,  as  Reuchlin  and 
Ulrich  de  Hutten,  employed  all  their  learning  and  wit  to 
free  the  church  and  the  world  from  the  bondage  of  igno- 
rance and  superstition. 

And,  as  coeval  and  co-extensive  with  this  spirit  of  inqui- 
ry, Providence  created  an  unaccountable  spirit  for  hold 
adventure,  which  equally  presaged  some  notable  revolu- 
tion near.  The  flames  of  a  restless  ambition  burned. 
There  was  an  irrepressible  desire  of  enterprise.  The  bold 
and  adventurous  spirit  of  Columbus,  of  the  Cabots,  of 
Amerigo  Vespucci,  of  Charles  V.,  Francis  I.,  Henry  VilL, 
Leo  X.,  was  widely  diflfused  through  Europe.  Spain, 
Portugal,  Genoa,  France  and  England,  were  struggling, 
who  should  first  whiten  an  unknown  sea  with  their  can- 
vas, or  reach  farthest  the  arms  of  conquest.  Dor- 
mant energies  were  aroused.  Discovery  was  the  mania 
of  the  day.  And  no  wonder  that  an  expectation,  border- 
ing on  certainty,  was  entertained,  that  some  great  change 
was  at  hand. 

Nor  were  the  movements  of  Providence  less  conspic- 
uous at  this  time,  on  the  great  political  arena.  The  wide 
domains  of  Christendom  were  crushed  beneath  the  foot 
of  the  Pope.  But  the  decree  had  gone  out  that  the  power 
of  despotism  should  be  broken. 

Modern  liberty,  paradoxical  as  it  may  seem,  is  the  ofl*- 
spring  of  Feudalism.  As  a  strange,  yet  comely  vine,  it 
sprung  up  and  grew  for  a  time  in  the  rugged  villas  of 
feudal  barons.  The  process  was  this :  The  feudal 
system  broke  into  pieces  the  before  unbroken  empire  of 

6* 


66  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

despotism;  and  though  the  feudal  lords  were  despots 
in  their  little  domains,  yet  each  clan  or  tribe  was  inde- 
pendent one  of  another,  and  the  germ  of  a  half-civilized, 
half- barbarous  liberty,  was  all  this  time  taking  root  in  a 
rugged  soil,  ready  to  be  transplanted  where  it  should 
grow  more  stately  and  gracefully,  and  bear  a  better  and 
more  abundant  fruit.  When  this  tree,  or  rather  shrub, 
had  flourished  as  long  as  it  could  on  feudal  ground,  the 
Hand  that  ever  protects  all  on  earth,  which  pleases  Him, 
broke  down  the  system  that  first  gave  it  birth,  yet  saved 
his  chosen  plant  from  the  common  ruin. 

The  crusades  struck  the  death-blow  to  the  feudal  sys- 
tem, and  opened  the  way  in  Europe  for  the  successful 
struggle  of  Liberty.  This  was  the  grand  transition  state 
from  Despotism  to  Monarchy. 

In  England,  Liberty,  long  oppressed  and  abused,  rose 
amidst  the  troubled  waters  of  King  John's  tyranny,  and 
they  called  her  Magna  Charta, — the  keystone  of  Eng- 
lish liberty,  the  bulwark  of  constitutional  law.  This  no- 
ble monument  of  indignant  popular  freedom  against 
royal  usurpation,  bears  date  1215. 

'^Qxt,  the  light  of  smothered  liberty  is  seen  gleaming 
up#Dver  the  sable  empire  of  Spain.  It  rises  in  Arragon 
as  early  as  1283.  An  instrument  called  the  "  General 
Privilege,"  is  granted  by  Peter  III.,  in  response  to  the  pop- 
ular clamor  for  liberty,  containing  a  series  of  provisions 
against  arbitrary  power,  more  full  and  satisfactory,  as  a 
basis  of  liberty,  than  the  great  Charter  of  England.  And 
had  we  time  to  trace  the  connection,  we  might  institute 
the  inquiry,  how  far  might  this  rising  genius  of  liberty 
in  Arragon  have  infused  its  spirit  into  Columbus  and 
his  adventurous  cotemporaries,  and  induced  the  patronage 
he  received  from  the  throne  ?  Or  what  connection  had 
this  with  the  conquest  of  Grenada,  and  the  expulsion  of 
the  Moors  ?  Or  with  the  discovery  of  the  great  East  by 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  ? — three  nearly  simultaneous 
events,  and  each  big  with  the  destiny  of  the  Church  and 
the  world. 

The  same  leaven  is  at  work  in  Germany.  The  Empe- 
ror becomes  elective ;  checks  are  imposed  on  his  power ; 
all  matters  of  moment  are  referred  to  the  States  Gen- 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  POLITICAL  POWER.  67 

eral.  Switzerland  achieves  her  freedom  in  the  beginning 
of  the  fourteenth  century.  Indeed,  "  free  cities,"  small  re- 
publics, spring  up  in  all  parts  of  Europe,  and,  as  in  the  early 
ages  of  mankind,  the  world  was  indebted  to  cities  for 
civilization  and  political  institutions,  so  again  modern 
liberty  was  cradled  in  the  bosom  of  the  free  cities  of 
Europe.  "It  was  not  the  monarchies,  it  was  not  the 
courts  of  the  great  princes, — it  was  the  cities  of  north- 
ern Italy,  which  opened  the  way  for  the  progress  of 
improvement,  and  lighted  the  torch  of  modern  civiliza- 
tion." 

Thus  was  Providence  politically  shaping  the  world  for 
the  reception  of  Christianity,  under  the  renovated  form 
of  the  Reformation. 

And  here  we  must  not  overlook  the  singular  distrihu- 
tion  of  political  power,  at  the  time  of  the  Reformation. 
That  the  power  might  appear  of  God,  and  not  of  man, 
Providence  gave  this  to  four  of  the  mightiest  monarchs 
that  ever  wielded  a  sceptre.  Henry  VIII. ,  was  on  the 
throne  of  England ;  Francis  I.,  on  that  of  France ; 
Charles  V.,  Emperor  of  the  kingdoms  of  Germany  and 
Spain ;  and  Pope  Leo  X.,  the  most  powerful,  politic  and 
sagacious  of  the  Popes,  occupied  the  chair  of  St.  Peter, 
and  reached  his  sceptre  over  all  the  monarchs  of  Europe. 
But  God  employed  none  of  them.  And  when  they  would 
have  pounced  upon,  and  torn  to  pieces  the  Daniel  of 
Heaven's  election,  God  shut  the  mouths  of  these  lions, 
that  they  should  not  harm  a  hair  of  his  head. 

But  I  pursue  the  subject  no  further  at  present.  Let 
us  pause  and  reflect ;  and  we  shall  review  this  great 
transaction  with  increased  admiration  of  the  power  and 
wisdom  of  God.  In  carrying  out  his  vast  plans,  all  the 
inliahitants  of  the  earth  are  reputed  as  nothing  before  him ; 
he  doeth  according  to  his  will  in  the  army  of  heaven, 
and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and  none  can 
stay  his  hand,  or  say  unto  him,  what  doest  thou  ?  Who, 
then,  would  not  fear  thee,  O  God  ?  Who  would  not 
adore  thee  in  the  temple  of  thy  power,  and  revere  thee 
in  thy  matchless  wisdom,  and  praise  thee  in  thy  un- 
speakable goodness  ?  How  much  reason  has  the  saint 
to   rejoice!     Standing  on   the  eternal  rock,  he  is  3afe. 


68  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

How  much  reason  has  the  sinner  to  tremble !  He 
stands,  he  trifles  beneath  the  rock  that  shall  grind  him  to 
powder. 

"  Be  wise  to-day,  'tis  madness  to  defer." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Reformation.  Europe  clamors  for  reform.  Causes.  Abuses.  Boniface  VIII. 
The  Great  Schism.  Infallibility.  Bad  moral  character  of  Popes — Alexander  VI.  Leo 
X.  Elector  of  Saxony.  Early  Reformers.  Waldenses — Nestorians.  The  Reforma- 
tion a  necessary  effect — a  child  of  Providence.  Martin  Luther  ;  his  origin,  early  ed- 
ucation, history.  Finds  the  Bible.  His  conversion.  Luther  the  preacher— the  Theo- 
logical Professor — at  Rome.  "  Pilate's  staircase."  Compelled  to  be  a  Reformer. 
His  coadjutors.    Opposition.    Results. 

^^All  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  are  reputed  as  nothing." 

The  last  chapter  closed  while  yet  speaking  of  the  causes 
of  the  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  centmy.  These 
causes  were  numerous  and  multifarious.  The  crusades 
had  broken  up  the  stagnations  of  despotism — learning 
had  revived — the  art  of  printing  was  discovered — an  ad- 
venturous spirit  of  discovery  and  conquest  was  abroad  ; 
the  science  of  navigation,  made  abundantly  practical  by 
the  invention  of  the  mariner's  compass,  brought  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  into  neighborhood  and  acquaintance. 
There  was,  too,  a  bold  spirit  of  inquiry  among  philoso- 
phers, divines,  and  every  class  of  the  literati,  which  de- 
manded reform.  The  inspiration  of  poetry  breathed  it. 
The  spirit  of  the  age  boldly  demanded  immortal  mind 
should  be  free.  Mind  is  like  the  irrepressible  spirit  of 
liberty.  You  cannot  chain  it ;  you  cannot  imprison  it. 
Though  for  a  time  it  may  be  reserved  in  chains  of  dark- 
ness, the  day  of  emancipation  must  come,  hastened  on 
by  the  very  galling  of  its  chains,  and  the  gloominess  of  its 
prison. 

The  Reformation  has  been  very  justly  denominated  "  a 
vast  effort  of  the  human  mind  to  achieve  its  freedom. 


CAUSES    OF    THE    REFORMATION.  69 

Though  its  religious  bearings  were  immense  on  the  des- 
tinies of  the  world,  it  was  more  than  a  rehgious  reform. 
It  was  an  intellectual  revolution. 

The  most  shameful  abuses  in  the  church,  the  degene- 
racy of  the  clergy  not  excepting  popes,  and  the  abused 
common-sense  of  the  people,  clamored  for  reform.  The 
long  repressed  spirit  of  liberty,  smothered  beneath  the 
rubbish  of  ignorance  and  superstition,  yet  now  beginning 
to  labor  in  her  dark  caverns,  and  to  make  all  Europe 
heave,  fearfully  demanded,  by  her  oft-repeated  irruptions, 
that  the  foot  of  Rome  should  no  longer  crush  the  world. 
Causes  were  at  work  which  made  the  Reformation  neces- 
sary as  an  effect.  The  world  was  prepared  for  it.  Ex- 
pectation was  on  the  alert.  The  profoundest  talents  of 
the  age  were  laboring  to  produce  it.  Suppressed,  exiled, 
outraged  piety  began  to  emerge  from  her  hiding  places, 
to  rise  in  the  strength  and  beauty  of  her  own  dignity,  and 
with  a  holy  indignation  to  assert,  and,  in  the  name  of 
Heaven,  to  demand,  freedom  for  the  sons  of  God.  So 
clamorous,  indeed,  had  Europe  become  for  reform,  that 
the  pope,  the  clergy  and  a  corrupt  church  were  con- 
strained to  acknowledge  its  necessity.  Accordingly,  the 
Council  of  Constance,  assembled  by  the  emperor,  (1414,) 
attempted  to  lop  off  some  of  the  monstrous  excrescences 
of  the  church.  Yet  this  same  council  consigned  to  the 
flames  John  Huss,  the  pious  and  learned  reformer,  of  Bo- 
hemia. Though  frustrated  in  the  attempt  at  ecclesias- 
tical reformation,  and  deadly  opposed  to  the  popular  re- 
form of  Wicklif,  Huss  and  Jerome,  and  though  reform 
was  re-attempted  with  no  better  success  seventeen  years 
later,  in  the  Council  of  Basle,  yet  much  was  gained  to  the 
general  cause  of  liberty  and  religion.  The  necessity  and 
feasibility  of  reform  had  been  freely  discussed  in  the  high 
places  of  the  church  and  of  the  empire,  and  though  op- 
posed and  ostensibly  arrested  by  the  strong  arm  of  Rome, 
facts  were  revealed,  abuses  exposed,  principles  established, 
which  emboldened  the  potentates  of  Europe  to  proclaim 
against  the  usurpations  of  the  Vatican.  In  France  and 
Germany  the  famous  Pragmatic  Sanction  of  1438  was 
made  a  law  of  the  state,  authorizing  the  election  of  Bish- 
ops,  and  the  reform  of  the  principal  abuses  of  the  church. 


70  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

But,  in  further  tracing  out  providential  arrangements 
as  at  work,  ecclesiastically,  in  bringing  affairs  to  the  de- 
sired crisis,  we  must  go  back  a  Httle. 

The  remarkable  fourteenth  century,  signalized  as  the 
generator  of  new  ideas,  new  schemes  and  activities,  opened 
in  the  darkest  days  of  the  Papal  church.  The  "  mystery 
of  iniquity"  was  now  consummated — Popery  had  found 
its  acme.  Boniface  VIII.  now  occupied  the  papal  chair. 
In  arrogance,  in  spiritual  pride,  oppression  and  blasphemy, 
he  was  surpassed  by  none  who  had  preceded  him.  He 
claimed  that,  as  "  vicar  of  Jesus  Christ,  he  had  power  to 
govern  kings  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  to  dash  them  in 
pieces  as  a  potter's  vessel."  Though  he  exalted  himself 
above  all  that  is  called  God,  and  spoke  great  swelling 
words  of  vanity,  yet  his  end  was  nigh,  and  his  judgment 
did  not  tarry.  Taken  prisoner  by  an  emmissary  of 
France,  and  treated  with  indignity  and  rudeness,  he  dies 
in  the  extremity  of  his  rage  and  mortification.  Says  the 
historian,  (Sismondi,)  "  His  eyes  were  haggard ;  his  mouth 
white  with  foam ;  he  gnashed  his  teeth  in  silence.  He 
passed  the  day  without  nourishment,  and  the  night  with- 
out repose  ;  and  when  he  found  that  his  strength  was  fail- 
ing, and  his  end  was  nigh,  he  removed  all  his  attendants, 
that  there  might  be  no  witness  to  his  final  feebleness  and 
parting  struggle.  After  some  interval,  his  domestics  burst 
into  the  room,  and  beheld  his  body  stretched  on  the  bed, 
stiff  and  cold.  The  staff  which  he  carried  bore  the  marks 
of  his  teeth,  and  was  covered  with  foam  ;  his  white  locks 
were  stained  with  blood ;  and  his  head  was  so  closely 
wrapped  in  the  counterpane,  that  he  was  believed  to  have 
anticipated  his  impending  death  by  violence  and  suffo- 
cation." 

Thus  died  the  pretended  vicegerent  of  God,  the  pattern 
of  saints,  the  Head  of  the  Church,  and  the  almoner  of 
Heaven's  righteousness  to  dying  men. 

From  this  hour  the  strong  arm  of  Popery  was  weak- 
ened. The  power  of  the  church  was  much  diminished 
by  the  removal  of  the  Popedom  from  Rome  to  Avignon 
in  France,  and  still  more  by  the  "  Great  Schism  of  the 
West,"  which  occurred  in  1378,  and  continued  half  a 
century.     There  were  now  two  rival  popes,  and  at  one 


MORAL    CHARACTER    OF    THE    CLERGY.  71 

time  three,  "  assailing  each  other  with  excommunications, 
maledictions  and  all  sorts  of  hostile  measm^es" — not  a  little 
impairing  their  respective  claims  to  infallihility,  bringing 
into  disrepute  their  ghostly  characters,  and  effectually 
preparing  the  way  for  the  abolition  of  their  spiritual  usur- 
pation. 

These  things,  together  with  the  had  moral  character  of 
the  clergy,  from  the  Pope  to  the  most  beggarly  mendi- 
cant— their  affluence,  avarice  and  luxury,  had  prepared 
the  minds  of  the  people  to  embrace  the  first  opportunity 
to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  Rome.  This  consummation  was 
rapidly  hastened  by  the  disgusting  profligacy  of  Alexan- 
der VI.  and  the  restless  ambition  and  cruelty  of  Julius  II. 
History  rarely  affords  a  specimen  of  so  worthless  a  char- 
acter as  that  of  Pope  Alexander.  His  youth  was  spent 
in  profligacy  and  crime ;  he  obtained  the  pontifical  chair 
by  the  most  shameless  bribery ;  his  palace,  while  Pope,  was 
disgraced  by  family  feuds  and  bloodshed  ;  by  bachanalian 
entertainments  and  licentious  revelry ;  by  farces  and  in- 
decent songs  ;  and  his  death  was  compassed  by  the  poison 
which  he  had  prepared  for  one  of  his  rich  cardinals. 
Such  was  the  Pope  in  1492,  on  the  very  eve  of  the  Refor- 
mation. 

Stations  of  dignity  and  trust  were  filled  by  men  raised 
from  obscurity  and  ignorance ;  or  by  sons  of  noblemen, 
and  not  unfrequently  by  mere  children.  A  child  of  five 
years  old  was  made  Archbishop  of  Rheims,  and  the  see 
of  Narbonne  was  purchased  for  a  boy  of  ten  years.  Nor 
was  the  papal  chair  itself  exempt  from  the  same  disgrace- 
ful sacrilege.  Rome  was  one  vast  scene  of  debauchery, 
in  which  the  most  powerful  families  in  Italy  contended 
for  the  pre-eminence.  Benedict  IX.  was  a  boy  brought 
up  in  profligacy — was  made  Pope  at  twelve  years  old,  and 
remained  in  the  practice  of  the  scandalous  sins  of  his 
youth. 

Such  abuses,  crimes  and  usurpations,  such  despotism 
and  corruption  at  the  fountain  head  of  the  church,  roused 
the  indignation  of  princes  and  people  not  yet  sunk  below 
where  the  voice  of  a  virtuous  indignation  reaches,  and 
hastened  on  the  Reformation.  And  mitred  heads,  and 
fulminating  bulls,  and  all  the  array  of  the  Scarlet  Beast 


72  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

could  not  silence  the  clamor.  God  was  in  it,  confound- 
ing the  wisdom  of  the  wise,  and  giving  understanding  to 
babes. 

It  has  not  failed  to  arrest  the  attention  of  historians 
that  Leo  X.,  though  a  man  of  consummate  skill  and  policy 
in  the  management  of  public  affairs,  prompt,  energetic, 
provident ;  yet,  in  reference  to  Luther  and  the  rising 
Reformation,  he  seemed  bereft  of  his  wisdom  and  accus- 
tomed energy,  while  they  who  were  undermining  his 
throne,  and  plucking  the  ghostly  crown  from  his  head, 
were  endued  with  uncommon  sagacity.  In  his  attempts 
to  crush  Luther,  and  suppress  the  Reformation,  nothing  is 
so  prominent  as  his  hesitation,  delays  and  mistakes.  In 
the  mean  time  the  good  work  was  gaining  ground ;  the 
host  of  the  Reformed  receiving  daily  accessrons  ;  the  ball 
set  in  motion  by  an  unseen  Hand  had  gathered  a  power 
and  velocity  which  kings  and  popes  could  not  arrest. 

Here  I  would  just  notice  another  providence  :  it  is  the 
raising  up  and  rightly  disposing  the  heart  of  the  Elector 
of  Saxony.  God  fitted  and  used  this  noble  prince  for  two 
great  purposes  :  first,  he  gave  him  a  controlling  influence 
among  the  electors  of  the  Emperor,  which  the  Pope, 
deeply  interested  as  he  was  in  the  election,  could  not  af- 
ford to  lose  ;  as  he  would,  should  he  displease  the  Elector, 
by  proclaiming  his  bull  of  excommunication  against  Lu- 
ther :  and,  secondly,  God  gave  his  servant  Luther  a  safe 
shelter  beneath  the  wings  of  this  excellent  Prince. 

But  there  were  other  causes  of  the  Reformation.  We 
return,  that  we  may  again  approach  the  great  phenome- 
non of  the  sixteenth  century  through  another  series  of 
providential  arrangements. 

Dark  as  the  dark  ages  were,  the  lamp  of  truth  and  pure 
religion  was  never  suffered  to  be  extinguished.  Indeed, 
from  the  earliest  corruptions  of  Christianity,  God  has  not 
left  himself  without  a  succession  of  witnesses.  In  the 
sixth  century  lived  Vigilantius,  the  vehement  remon- 
strant against  relics,  the  invocation  of  saints,  lighted  can- 
dles in  churches,  vows  of  celibacy,  pilgrimages,  nocturnal 
watchings,  fastings,  prayers  for  the  dead,  and  all  the  mum- 
meries which  had  at  that  early  period  crept  into  the 
church.     In  the  ninth  century,  Claudius,  the  pious  Bishop 


EARLY    REFORMERS.  73 

of  Turin,  called  the  first  Protestant  Reformer,  bore  a  noble 
testimony  to  the  truth.  Peter  of  Bruges,  Henry  of  Lau- 
sanne, and  Arnold  of  Brescia,  raised  their  voices  amidst 
the  general  corruption,  and  in  various  ways  and  with  va- 
rious success  pleaded  for  reform.*'  So  did  also  the  learned 
and  fearless  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  Greathead,  in  the  thirteenth 
century,  and  the  excellent  Tho?nas  Bradwat^dine,  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury,  and  the  noble  Fitzralph,  ArchbishoTi 
of  Armagh,  whose  light  from  time  to  time  made  visible  the 
surrounding  darkness.  Nor  may  we  pass  unnoticed  a 
noble  bancl  of  confessors  and  witnesses  for  the  truth, 
among  whom  we  find  the  indefatigable  Peter  Pruys,  Henry 
the  Italian,  Marsilius  of  Padua,  John  of  Garduno,  who 
was  condemned  by  the  Pope,  1330,  and  the  learned, 
dauntless  and  persecuted  Barengarius,  who,  after  having 
withstood  the  storm  of  papal  rage  to  a  good  old  age,  closed 
his  testimony  in  1088.  These  were  some  of  the  lights 
which  shone  amidst  the  darkness  of  the  middle  ages,  and 
by  which  an  ever  watchful  Providence  preserved  his  truth 
from  the  general  ruin.f 

These,  however,  were  but  the  casual  outbreakings  of 
pent  up  fires  that  should  soon  burst  out  and  burn  with  an 
unquenchable  flame.  These  were  the  lesser  lights — the 
precursors  of  the  approaching  morning.  At  length  the 
morning  star  arose.  Wicklif  appeared ;  the  arm  of 
Providence,  to  pave  the  way  for  a  glorious  onward  march 
of  the  work  of  redemption  ;  guilty  of  daring  to  think  out 
of  the  beaten  track  of  the  dark  ages  ;  guilty  of  question- 
ing the  arrogant  claims  of  a  haughty,  avaricious,  corrupt 
priesthood,  and  guilty  of  publishing  to  the  world  the  living 
oracles  of  God,  and  teaching  the  people  their  right  and 
duty  to  read  them.  By  his  writings  and  lectures  in  the 
University  of  Oxford ;  by  his  public  instructions  as 
pastor  at  Lutterworth,  and  his  translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures for  the  first  time  into  English,  he  laid  an  immovable 


*  The  fiery  zeal  of  Arnold  knew  no  bounds  till  he  had  carried  the  war  of  reform  into 
Rome  itself,  and  kindled  a  fire  in  the  very  seat  of  St.  Peter,  but  which  in  its  turn  kin- 
dled a  fire  about  him,  in  which  he  perished,  and  his  party  (the  Arnoldists,)  was  sup- 
pressed. 

t  The  following  are  some  of  the  sects,  or  Christian  communities  which  stood  up  for 
the  truth  when  the  whole  world  had  gone  wandering  after  the  Beast :  The  Nuvitians, 
Donatists,  Paulicians,  Cathari,  Puritans,  Waldenses,  Petrobrusians,  Henricians,  Ar- 
noldists, Paterines,  in  Italy. 

7 


74  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

foundation  for  the  reform  of  the  church.  The  leaven  so 
effectually  wrought  in  the  University,  as  to  merit  the 
charge  of  heresy  from  Archbishop  Arundel :  "  Oxford," 
says  he,  "  is  a  vine  that  bringeth  forth  wild  and  sour  grapes, 
which  being  eaten  by  the  fathers,  the  children's  teeth  are 
set  on  edge  ;  so  that  the  whole  province  of  Canterbury  is 
tainted  with  a  novel  and  damnable  heresy  :"  an  honora- 
ble testimony  to  the  fidelity  and  influence  of  Wicklif 
He  had  many  zealous  friends  among  the  nobility,  and 
even  in  the  royal  family ;  which  no  doubt  served  as  a 
shield  to  ward  off  the  fiery  darts  of  papal  vengeance,  and 
left  our  reformer  to  die  a  quiet  death  in  the  retirement 
of  Lutterworth. 

The  impression  produced  by  Wicklif's  character  and 
labors,  was  tremendous  on  all  ranks  and  ages.  It  was  as 
the  letting  out  of  many  waters.  Mountains  could  not 
hedge  it  in,  seas  could  not  limit  it.  No  sooner  was  this 
new  light  extinguished  by  popish  virulence  in  England, 
than  it  begun  to  burn  with  redoubled  splendor  in  Bohemia 
on  the  continent.  Europe  caught  the  light,  and  the 
cloud  that  had  so  long  hung  over  Christendom  began 
to  scatter. 

And  here  again  mark  the  finger  of  Providence  :  Queen 
Anne,  the  wife  of  Richard  II.,  of  England,  a  native  of 
Bohemia,  having  herself  embraced  the  doctrines  of 
Wicklif,  became,  through  her  attendants,  the  instrument 
of  circulating  the  books  of  the  reformer  in  Bohemia. 
Who  can  doubt  "  whether  she  did  not  come  to  the  king- 
dom for  such  a  time  as  this."  God  called  her  to  the 
throne  of  England,  that,  having  learned  the  truth  there, 
she  might  introduce  it,  with  a  royal  sanction,  in  her  own 
native  land.  Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague,  by  this  means 
caught  the  fire  of  the  English  reformer,  raised  the  ban- 
ners of  reformation,  and  ceased  not,  till  a  glorious  mar- 
tyrdom put  out  their  lamp,  to  devote  their  great  learning 
and  their  immense  influence  in  defence  of  abused  truth. 

The  execution  of  Huss  as  a  heretic,  furnishes  a  just 
though  melancholy  picture  of  the  times  of  these  early 
reformers.  John  Huss  was  Professor  of  Divinity  in  the 
University  of  Prague,  and  pastor  of  the  church  in  that 
city ;  a  man  as  renowned  for  the  purity  and  excellency 


BURN^ING    OF    HUSS.  75 

of  his  Christian  character,  as  for  his  profound  learning 
and  uncommon  eloquence.  But  his  light  shone  too  bright 
for  the  age.  He  was  charged  with  heresy ;  arrested, 
thrown  into  prison — condemned  to  the  stake.  At  the 
place  of  execution  he  was  treated  with  the  most  barbarous 
indignity.  Seven  Bishops  strip  him  of  his  sacerdotal 
dress — violently  tear  from  him  the  insignia  of  his  office — 
put  on  his  head  a  cap  on  which  three  devils  were  painted, 
and  the  words  arch-heretic  written — burn  his  books  before 
his  eyes.  In  the  meantime  the  fires  of  death  are  kindled. 
The  undaunted  martyr  commends  his  spirit  to  Jesus,  and, 
serene  and  joyful  in  the  prospect  of  a  glorious  immortality, 
his  happy  spirit  rises  from  the  flames  of  wicked  foes  to 
the  bosom  of  flaming  seraphim,  who  adore  and  burn  in 
the  presence  of  the  eternal  throne. 

But  this  was  not  enough  :  with  savage  fury  his  execu- 
tioners beat  down  the  stake,  and  demolished  with  clubs 
and  pokers  all  that  remained  of  his  half  consumed  body. 
His  heart,  untouched  by  the  fire,  they  roast  on  a  spit, 
and  his  cloak  and  other  garments  are  also  committed  to 
the  flames,  that  not  a  memento  might  remain  to  his 
friends.  Yea,  more,  they  not  only  remove  the  ashes,  but 
they  scoop  out  the  earth  where  he  was  burnt,  to  the  depth 
of  four  feet,  and  throw  the  whole  into  the  Rhine.  But 
they  could  not  extinguish  the  light  of  the  Reformation. 

From  this  new  starting  point  the  wheels  of  Providence 
gathered  strength,  and  rolled  on  the  more  rapidly  as  they 
approached  the  goal.  From  the  flames  that  consumed 
these  martyrs  to  the  truth,  there  rose  a  light  which  shone 
throughout  all  Germany.  A  spirit  of  inquiry  was  roused 
in  schools  and  universities,  in  the  minds  of  the  common 
people  and  among  the  nobility,  which  could  not  be 
repressed.  Though  often  smothered  in  blood,  it  gathered 
strength — the  surface  heaved,  the  internal  fires  burned 
till  the  irruption  came. 

But  I  shall  do  palpable  injustice  not  to  notice  some 
whole  communities  which,  during  Zion's  long  and  dreary 
night,  kept  their  fires  burning  and  their  lamps  trimmed, 
ready  to  meet  the  returning  bridegroom.  They  were 
found  among  the  mountains  of  the  Alps  ;  in  the  valleys 
of  Peidmont  and  Languedock ;  in  England,  and  over  a 


76  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

great  part  of  Europe — known  by  the  generic  name  of 
Lollards,  yet  denominated  Waldenses,  Albigenses,  Cathari, 
Huguenots,  from  the  valleys  in  which  they  resided,  or 
from  some  distinguished  leader.  They  had  not  bowed 
the  knee  to  Baal — had  endured  persecutions  such  as 
make  humanity  blush — had  trial  of  cruel  mockings  and 
scourgings — of  bonds  and  imprisonments — were  stoned, 
sawn  asunder — tempted — slain — wandered  about  in  sheep 
skins  and  goat  skins,  afflicted  and  tormented.  They 
wandered  in  deserts  and  mountains,  in  dens  and  caves 
of  the  earth.  Since  the  scenes  which  transpired  on 
Calvary  1800  years  ago,  there  has  not  been  written  so 
black  a  page  of  man's  history.  Yet  their  light  shone,  and 
guided  many  an  earth-worn  pilgrim  heavenward.  And 
when  the  morning  dawned — when  the  strong  voice  of 
Wicklif,  repeating  but  in  louder  notes  the  strains  of 
Claudius,  Bradwardine,  and  Berenger,  proclaimed  the 
approaching  day — and  the  louder,  and  yet  louder  peals 
of  Huss  and  Jerome,  Reuchlin  and  Hutten,  broke  in  upon 
the  stillness  of  the  night,  these  pious  souls,  (of  whom  the 
world  was  not  worthy,)  these  dwellers  in  the  rocks  and 
caves  of  the  earth  were  watching  every  prognostication 
of  the  morning,  and  joyfully  hailed  the  rising  light.  And 
no  sooner  were  the  banners  of  the  Reformation  unfurled, 
than  they,  as  tried  and  loyal  subjects,  came  to  the  help  of 
the  Lord. 

And  during  the  same  period,  and  for  centuries  since, 
the  Nestorians  have  borne  witness  to  the  truth,  and  kept 
alive  the  fire  of  true  religion  in  the  East,  in  circumstances 
not  very  dissimilar  from  the  Waldenses  of  the  West. 
When  dark  clouds  settled  down  on  the  whole  land,  there 
was  light  in  Goshen — light  amid  the  mountains  of  Kurdis- 
tan. And  as  now  light  returns  upon  the  dark  regions 
of  Asia,  do  we  not  find  them  as  ready  to  welcome  the 
rising  morning  as  were  the  dwellers  among  the  Alps  ? 
The  church  has  already  been  vastly  indebted  to  the  Nes- 
torians in  the  work  of  propagating  the  gospel.  Never 
has  she  had  more  valiant  and  successful  Missionaries, 
and  that,  too,  under  circumstances  the  most  unpropitious. 
Their  missions  form  the  connecting  link  between  the 
missions  of  primitive  Christianity  and  modern  missions. 


TRANSLATION    OF    THE    BIBLE.  77 

In  the  dark  ages,  (from  the  sixth  to  the  fifteenth  century,) 
we  find  their  indefatigable  missionaries  among  the  rude, 
migratory  tribes  of  Tartary,  among  the  priest-ridden  mill- 
ions of  India,  and  the  supercilious  natives  of  China.  We 
find  them,  too,  among  the  barbarous  nations  about  the 
Caspian  sea.  In  the  tenth  century,  a  Mogul  Prince  and 
200,000  of  his  subjects,  were  converted  to  Christianity. 
Their  Prince  was  the  celebrated  Prester  John.  In  877, 
they  had  erected  churches  in  all  eastern  Asia. 

But  without  pursuing  this  line  of  providential  develop- 
ment further,  what  presage  have  we  here  that  Zion's  King 
was  about  to  introduce  a  new  dispensation  of  his  grace  ! 
He  had  fitted  a  thousand  minds  for  the  accomplishment 
of  his  purposes.  Kings,  emperors,  councils,  the  literati, 
philosophers,  poets,  the  church  herself,  all  in  their  turn 
attempted  a  reform,  and  failed.  Yet  each  did  a  work, 
and  hastened  a  result.  It  was  written  in  the  records  of 
Heaven  that  this  should  not  be  done  by  "  might  nor  by 
power.''  The  noble,  the  wise  and  mighty,  should  be  set  at 
nought — Goliath  be  overcome  by  the  shepherd  and  his 
sling.  The  Bible  should  be  the  weapon  by  which  to 
overcome  the  principalities  and  powers  of  sin,  to  demolish 
the  strong-holds  of  the  adversary,  and  to  dislodge  from 
their  high  places  the  unclean  birds  of  the  sanctuary  :  the 
Bible  be  the  regenerator  of  the  living  temple,  which 
should  rebuild  the  sacred  altar,  and  restore  its  fine  gold. 
Hence  the  towering  genius  of  Reuchlin,  (the  patron  and 
teacher  of  the  great  Melancthon,)  and  the  masterly  mind 
of  Erasmus,  were  now,  by  the  hand  of  Providence, 
brought  on  the  stage,  the  one  to  give  Europe  a  transla- 
tion of  the  Old  Testament,  and  the  other  of  the  New ; 
and  both  to  employ  their  profound  learning  in  defence  of 
the  truth. 

The  sagacious  eye  of  the  world's  wisdom  could  not  but 
have  seen  that  mighty  events  were  struggling  in  the 
womb  of  Providence.  The  Reformation  was  a  necessary 
consequence  of  what  preceded.  Internal  fires  were  burn- 
ing, the  earth  heaving,  and  soon  they  must  find  vent. 
Had  not  the  irruption  been  in  Germany,  it  must  soon 
have  been  elsewhere.  Had  not  Luther  led,  it  must  ere 
long  have  been  conducted  by  another. 


78  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Thus  did  the  mighty  hand  of  God  order  every  circum- 
stance— remove  obstacles,  provide  instrumentalities  for 
the  work,  displaying  in  all  the  different  series  of  events 
which  preceded  the  Reformation,  and  which,  under  God, 
were  the  causes  of  it,  the  stately  steppings  of  Providence 
towards  some  magnificent  result.  Let  us,  therefore, 
briefly  survey, 

2.  The  great  transaction  itself.  The  Reformation  was 
a  great  event — an  event  of  great  men,  of  great  things  and 
great  results ;  and  the  more  closely  it  is  scrutinized,  the 
more  it  will  appear  to  be  the  work  of  God.  It  is  not  my 
design  to  speak  of  the  Reformation  as  a  matter  of  History, 
but  as  a  child  of  Providence.  Were  we  to  trace  it  in  its 
progress,  as  we  have  in  its  preliminary  steps,  we  should 
everywhere  discern  the  finger  of  God.  I -shall  rather 
speak  of  certain  characteristic  acts  of  the  great  drama, 
than  of  the  drama  itself.     The  whole  is  too  large  a  field. 

From  whatever  point  you  view  the  Reformation,  you 
find  it  the  child  of  Providence.  Look  at  the  inen  who 
were  called  to  be  its  conductors ;  or  to  the  formidable 
opposition  it  had  to  encounter ;  or  to  its  results,  and  you 
everywhere  trace  the  footsteps  of  God. 

When  God  is  about  to  do  a  great  work  he  first  pre- 
pares his  inst7'U7?ients.  He  selects  and  qualifies  the  men 
by  whom  he  will  accomplish  his  purposes.  So  he  did,  as 
we  have  seen,  when  he  was  about  to  enlarge  the  bounda- 
ries of  his  church  by  adding  to  its  domains  the  American 
continent.  The  bold  spirit  of  adventure  which  charac- 
terized the  latter  part  of  the  fifteenth  century,  was  an  elec- 
tric shock  to  all  Europe — as  if  an  earthquake  had  shaken 
the  world,  and  raised  from  the  midst  of  the  ocean  a  great 
continent.  Hence  such  men  as  Columbus,  the  Cabots, 
Gaspar  Cortereal  and  Verrazzani.  So,  when  He  would 
cut  the  cord  that  bound  this  infant  nation  to  her  mother, 
and  wean  her  from  her  mother's  milk,  and  remove  her 
from  the  tuition  of  aristocrats  and  church  dignitaries, 
God  raised  up  for  the  purpose  such  men  as  Franklin, 
Hancock,  Lee,  Adams  and  Jefferson,  and  nerved  the 
arm  of  our  immortal  Washington.  And  so  it  has  been 
in  all  the  great  outbreakings   that  have  convulsed  the 


LEADERS  OF  THE  REFORMATION.  79 

world  to  make  way  for  the  church.  He  prepared  his 
instruments. 

It  has  been  observed  that  great  men  appear  in  constella- 
tions. The  truth  is,  they  appear  when,  in  providence, 
great  occasions  call  for  them.  Great  men  are  not  only 
made  by  the  times,  but  are  endowed  and  moulded  by  the 
hand  of  God  for  the  times.  But  nowhere  do  we  find  so 
marked  a  providence  in  the  preparation  of  instruments  as 
in  the  case  of  the  Reformation.  The  leaders  were  all 
mighty  men.  Each  was  a  host.  Yet  of  all  these 
mighties,  Martin  Luther  was  the  mightiest. 

But  whence  these  giants,  who,  if  they  raise  their  voice, 
the  earth  trembleth — who  shake  the  seven  hills  of  Rome, 
and  on  their  ruins  rear  a  superstructure  which  reached  to 
the  heavens  ?  Were  they  the  scions  of  royalty — the  sons 
of  wisdom  or  of  might  ?  No.  Martin  Luther  was  taken 
from  the  cottage  of  a  poor  miner.  Melancthon,  the  pro- 
found theologian  and  elegant  scholar  of  the  Reformation, 
was  found  in  an  armorer's  workshop.  Zuinglius  was 
sought  out  by  Him  who  knoweth  the  path  which  "  the 
vulture's  eye  hath  not  seen,"  in  a  shepherd's  hut  among 
the  Alps. 

The  history  of  Martin  Luther  is  substantially  the 
history  of  the  Reformation.  Would  we  come  at  once  at 
the  real  genius  of  that  great  revolution,  we  must  follow 
up  the  history  of  its  controlling  genius,  from  the  time 
that  little  Martin  was  gathering  sticks  with  his  poor 
mother  at  the  mines  in  Mansfeld,  till  he  occupied  the 
chair  of  Theology  at  Wittemburg,  and  was  the  most 
powerful  and  popular  preacher  of  the  day ;  or  till  he 
faced,  single-handed  and  alone,  the  ravening  beast  of 
Rome  at  the  Diet  of  Worms.  Such  as  God  made  the 
instrument,  such  was  the  work. 

Though  pinchingly  poor,  John  Luther,  the  wood- 
cutter and  the  miner,  resolved  to  educate  young  Martin. 
Thence  forward  mark  his  course.  First,  he  was  submitted 
to  strict  discipline  and  rehgious  instruction  under  the 
roof  of  his  parents.  How  much  he  was  indebted  to  this, 
and  how  much  the  world,  is  not  difficult  to  conceive. 
At  an  early  age  he  is  sent  to  school  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  mines.     A  new  light  had  already  broken  in  upon 


80  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

the  world,  and  the  honest  miner  of  Mansfeld  determined 
that  his  son  should  share  in  its  benefits.  At  the  age  of 
fourteen,  we  find  him  at  the  school  of  the  Franciscans  at 
Magdeburg,  yet  so  poor  that  he  was  obliged  to  occupy 
his  play-hours  in  begging  his  bread  by  singing.  Here 
he  first  heard  Andrew  Proles  with  great  zeal,  preaching 
the  necessity  of  reforming  religion  and  the  church. 
Next  he  is  at  Eisenach,  still  poor,  yet  persevering,  and 
notwithstanding  these,  to  common  minds,  insuperable 
difficulties,  our  young  reformer  made  rapid  strides  in  his 
studies,  outstripping  all  his  fellows. 

We  come  now  to  the  second  link  of  the  providential 
chain  :  While  begging  his  bread  as  a  singing  boy  at  Eise- 
nach, he  was  often  overwhelmed  with  grief,  and  ready  to 
despond.  "  One  day  in  particular,  after  having  been 
repulsed  from  three  houses,  he  was  about  to  return  fasting 
to  his  lodging,  when,  having  reached  the  Place  St.  George, 
he  stood  before  the  house  of  an  honest  burgher,  motion- 
less, and  lost  in  painful  reflections.  Must  he  for  the  want 
of  bread  give  up  his  studies,  and  return  to  the  mines  of 
Mansfeld  ?"  Suddenly  a  door  opens,  a  woman  appears 
on  the  threshhold — it  is  the  wife  of  Conrad  Cotta,  called 
"  the  pious  Shunamite"  of  Eisenach.  Touched  with  the 
pitiless  condition  of  the  boy,  she  henceforth  becomes  his 
patroness,  his  guardian  angel,  and  from  this  time  the 
darkness  from  his  horizon  began  to  clear  away.  Soon  we 
find  him  a  distinguished  scholar  in  the  University  of 
Erfurth,  his  genius  universally  admired,  his  progress  in 
knowledge  wonderful.  It  now  began  to  be  predicted  of 
him  that  he  would  one  day  shake  the  world.  The  hon- 
ors of  the  University  thicken  upon  him.  He  applies 
himself  to  the  study  of  the  law,  where  he  aspires  to  the 
highest  honors  of  civic  life.  But  God  willed  not  so.  He 
is  one  day  in  the  Library  of  the  University,  where  he  is 
wont  to  spend  his  leisure  moments.  As  he  opens  volume 
after  volume,  a  strange  book  at  length  attracts  his  atten- 
tion. Though  he  had  been  two  years  in  the  University, 
and  was  now  twenty  years  old,  he  had  seen  nothing  like 
it  before.  It  is  the  Bible.  He  reads  and  reads  again,  and 
would  give  a  world  for  a  Bible.     Here  is  the  third  link. 


3IARTIN    LUTHEr's    EARLY    LIFE.  81 

Here  lay  hid  the  spark  that  should  electrify  the  world — 
the  golden  egg  of  the  Reformation. 

But  where  next  do  we  find  our  distinguished  scholar — 
our  doctor  of  philosophy — our  humble  reader  of  the 
Bible  ?  Strange  contrast !  He  is  an  Augustine  monk, 
cloistered  in  gloomy  walls  ;  the  companion  of  idle  monks  ; 
doorkeeper,  sweeper,  common  servant  and  beggar  for 
the  cloister.  But  what  brought  him  here  ?  He  had  read 
the  Bible — was  bowed  to  the  ground  as  a  sinner — and 
while  in  this  state  of  mind  he  was  literally  smitten  to  the 
earth  by  a  thunderbolt.  This  was  the  fourth  link  of  the 
providential  chain. 

From  this  hour  he  resolved  to  be  God's.  But  how 
could  he  serve  God  but  in  a  cloister  ?  The  world  was  no 
place  for  him.  He  7nust  be  holy ;  he  will  therefore  wo7^k 
out  his  salvation  in  the  menial  services  and  solitude  of 
monastic  life.  But  the  hand  of  God  was  in  this.  It  was 
the  school  of  Providence  to  discipline  him  for  his  future 
work.  Here,  too,  he  must  learn  the  great  lesson  (justifi- 
cation by  faith)  which  should  revolutionize  the  church 
and  the  world  ;  here  receive  the  sword  that  should  de- 
mohsh  the  mighty  fabric  of  Romish  superstition,  and 
separate  from  the  chaotic  mass  of  a  corrupt  religion,  the 
church  reformed.  And  where,  in  accordance  with  the 
genius  of  the  age,  could  this  be  learned  but  in  a  convent  ? 
From  his  youth  up,  Luther  had  believed  in  the  power  of 
monastic  life  to  change  the  heart.  He  must,  as  he  bitterly 
did,  learn  its  entire  inefficacy. 

When  he  had  learned  this,  when  he  was  slain  by  the 
law,  and  lay,  as  supposed,  literally  dead  upon  the  floor,  a 
good  "  Annanias"  appeared  to  raise  him  up  and  to  con- 
duct him  to  the  peace-speaking  blood  of  Jesus,  and,  in 
Christ's  stead,  to  tell  him  what  he  must  do.  This  messen- 
ger is  Staupitz,  the  vicar-general,  who  from  this  time 
becomes  Luther's  teacher  in  holiness,  and  his  guide  and 
patron  in  his  glorious  career  of  reform.  This  is  the  next 
link  in  the  chain.  Staupitz  conducted  him  to  Christ ; 
gave  him  a  Bible  ;  introduced  him  to  a  professor's  chair 
in  the  University  of  Wittemburg,  and  to  the  friendship 
of  the  Elector  of  Saxony,  and  brought  out  the  reluctant 
Monk  as  a  public  preacher ;  and,  in  a  word,  was  the  hand 


82  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

of  Providence  to  conduct  Luther  forward  to  the  great 
result  of  the  Reformation. 

Nor  was  it  enough  that  Luther  should  serve  a  three 
years'  apprenticeship  in  a  convent.  He  must  go  to  Rome 
— must  trace  up  the  corrupt  stream  to  its  founiain — must 
see  what  Romanism  is  at  the  seat  of  the  Beast.  His  em- 
bassy to  Rome  was  the  next  great  providential  movement 
which  marked  the  early  life  of  Luther.  Here  he  beheld 
with  his  own  eyes,  the  abominations  of  desolation  stand- 
ing in  the  place  where  they  ought  not.  Though  he  had 
more  than  suspected  the  corruption  of  the  church,  he  still 
retained  a  profound  veneration  for  Rome.  He  thought 
of  Rome  as  the  seat  of  all  holiness  ;  the  deep  and  broad 
well  from  which  were  drawn  all  the  waters  of  salvation. 
Nothing  but  personal  observation  could  cure  him  of  this 
error.  He  found  Rome  the  seat  of  abominations,  the 
fountain  of  moral  corruption.  The  profligacy,  levity, 
idleness,  and  luxury  of  the  priests,  shocked  him.  He 
turned  away  from  Rome  in  utter  disgust  and  indignation. 
Nor  was  this  all  he  learnt  at  Rome.  It  was  here  God 
instructed  him  more  thoroughly  in  the  perfect  way. 
While  performing  some  of  the  severe  penances  of  the 
church,  (as,  for  example,  creeping  on  his  knees  up  "  Pi- 
late's staircase,")  he  had  a pracizcaZ  lesson  of  the  ineflicacy 
of  works ;  and  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith, 
seemed  revealed  to  him  as  in  a  voice  of  thunder.  And 
now  was  he  prepared,  on  his  return,  to  echo  this  voice 
from  heaven  till  the  very  foundations  of  Rome  should 
tremble. 

Soon  after  this,  Luther  was  made  Theological  Profes- 
sor, or  Doctor  of  the  Scriptures.  There  was,  in  reference 
to  the  oath  he  was  now  required  to  take,  another  of  those 
marked  interpositions  of  Providence,  to  push  him  on  in  his 
work  as  a  reformer.  He  was  required  to  "  swear  to  de- 
fend the  truth  of  the  gospel  with  all  his  inight."  This, 
though  it  had  often  been  taken  as  a  mere  matter  oi form^ 
was  now  received  in  good  earnest.  Luther  now  felt 
himself  commissioned  by  the  University,  by  his  Prince, 
and  in  the  name  of  the  Emperor,  and  by  Rome  herself,  to 
be  the  fearless  herald  of  the  truth.     He  must   now,  in 


OPPOSITION    TO    THE    REFORMATION.  83 

obedience  to  the  highest  authority  on  earth  and  of 
Heaven,  be  a  Reformer* 

Thus  did  the  Hand  of  God  resuscitate  a  long  and  shame- 
fully abused  oath,  and  snatch  it  from  the  hands  of  pro- 
fanation, and  arm  it  with  a  power  that  none  could  gain- 
say or  resist. 

Ah^eady  has  enough  been  said  to  develop  the  genius  of 
the  Reformation.  I  am  not  to  give  a  history  of  it.  It 
was  the  child  of  Providence — begotten,  nourished,  ma- 
tured by  the  plastic  hand  of  Heaven.  Were  we  to 
follow  Luther  from  his  first  putting  forth  his  "  Theses" 
for  public  discussion,  till  he  laid  down  his  armor  at  the 
dread  summons  of  death,  the  head  and  leader  of  a  great 
reformed  church,  we  should  see  him  in  the  act  of  accom- 
plishing only  what  we  have  seen  the  hand  of  God  prepar- 
ing him  for.  He  was  raised  up,  fitted  and  protected  for 
this  selfsame  work.f 

Or  were  we  to  trace  the  history  of  his  great  coadjutors 
in  the  work,  such  as  Calvin,  Melancthon,  Reuchlin,  Hut- 
ten,  Erasmas,  Spalatin,  Staupitz,  Martin  Pollich,  Zuingle, 
or  the  other  giants  of  those  days,  we  should  discover,  in 
proportion  as  God  deigned  to  use  them,  respectively,  in 
the  execution  of  his  great  plan,  the  hand  of  God,  fitting 
each  to  his  respective  place,  assigning  each  his  work,  and 
nerving  the  muscles  of  his  soul  for  the  great  combat. 

Nor  will  it  weaken  our  conviction  that  the  Reforma- 
tion was  a  stupendous  act  of  Providence  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  true  church  and  the  spread  of  the  true 
religion,  if  we  notice  the  opposition  it  had  to  encounter, 
or  on  its  final  results. 

Both  as  to  character  and  amount,  this  opposition  was 
such  as  no  earthly  power  could  resist.  The  advantage 
was  all  against  the  Reformers.     The  errors,  vices,  super- 


•  D' Aubigne's  History  of  the  Reformation. 

t  Not  a  few  instances  in  his  personal  history  illustrate  the  Divine  care  of  him.  De- 
termined to  cut  him  off  by  stratagem,  at  a  period  when  his  popularity  precluded  the  use 
offeree,  the  Cardinal  Legate  and  Pope's  Nuncio,  invited  the  great  Reformer  and  his 
chief  Saxon  friends  to  a  dinner  ;  when,  according  to  previous  arrangement,  the  Pope's 
representative  should  propose  the  exchange  of  the  usual  glass  of  wine,  and  that  a 
deadly  poison  should  be  infused  into  the  portion  designed  for  Luther.  The  pompous 
Cardinal  requested  "  the  honor  of  drinking  the  learned  and  ihustrious  Doctor's  health." 
The  Cardinal's  attendant  presented  the  two  glasses.  But  Luther's  glass,  as  he  raised  it 
to  his  mouth,  fell  into  his  plate,  and  discovered  the  murderous  potion.  Thus  the  Hand 
of  an  ever  watchful  Providence  delivered  his  chosen  one  from  the  snare  of  the  fowler. 


84  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

stitions,  impositions  or  crimes  which  they  attacked,  were 
nurtured  in  the  very  bosom  of  the  church,  and  could 
challenge  the  authority  of  the  highest  powers  in  church 
or  state  ;  while  the  Reformers  were  without  power,  either 
civil  or  ecclesiastical,  the  sons  of  obscurity,  sought  out, 
fitted,  and  distinguished  in  the  work  by  a  special  Provi- 
dence. Like  the  first  disciples,  they  stood  against  the 
world. 

3.  And  the  results  are  too  well  known  to  need  to  be 
made  a  subject  of  extended  remark.  It  was  a  revolution 
that  has  cast  a  new  aspect  over  the  whole  world.  It  is 
under  the  shadow  of  the  wings  of  the  reformed  church,  that 
civilization  has  spread  and  prospered ;  that  the  printing- 
press  has  flourished  and  shed  forth  its  leaves  for  the  healing 
of  the  nations — that  learning  has  prospered ;  the  arts 
been  cultivated  and  the  sciences  made  to  subserve  the 
purposes  of  common  life ;  that  enterprise  has  put  forth 
its  multifarious  energies  in  the  promotion  of  commerce, 
discovery,  manufactures,  and  in  the  various  forms  of 
philanthropy  and  benevolence  ;  that  the  true  science  of 
government  is  better  understood,  and  considerable  ad- 
vancement made  in  the  principles  of  freedom ;  a  broad 
and  immovable  basis  laid  for  free  institutions  ;  and  re- 
ligion, pure  and  undefiled,  has  ventured  to  appear  not 
only  outside  the  cloister,  or  the  sequestered  valley,  but 
on  the  wide  arena  of  the  world,  in  the  face  of  Popes  and 
inquisitors,  in  the  face  of  nobles  and  kings,  and  boldly 
to  assert  its  primeval  claim  to  the  earth.  It  was  one 
of  those  vast  movements  of  Providence,  which,  like 
angels'  visits,  are  few  and  far  between.  It  was  one  of 
those  great  deliverances,  when  Heaven  deigns  to  inter- 
pose and  give  enlargement  to  Israel. 

We  cannot  review  this  vast  transaction  without  in- 
creased admiration  of  an  ever-working,  ever-watchful 
Providence,  working  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his 
own  will,  with  none  to  stay  his  hand,  or  say  unto  Him, 
what  doest  thou. 

In  concluding  what  I  have  to  say  on  the  Reformation, 
I  may  be  indulged  in  one  general  remark  :  How  grand 
and  magnificent,  then,  must  that  work  be  which  can  so  in- 
tensely engage  the  mind  of  the  eternal  God  !     Such  is  the 


JAPHETH    IN    THE    TENTS    OF   yilEM.  85 

work  of  Redemption.  The  unwearied  hand  of  Provi- 
dence has  always  been  engaged,  preparing  for  some 
future  development  of  the  glory  of  the  body  of  Christ, 
which  is  the  church.  From  Adam  to  Christ,  the  lines  of 
Providence  were  all  converging  to  the  Incarnation. 
Every  change  and  revolution  was  so  shaped  as  to  be 
preparatory  to  the  advent  of  the  Messiah.  That  first 
grand  mark  of  consummation  being  reached,  the  next 
principal  point  of  concentration  is  the  Millenium,  or  the 
complete  development  of  grace,  and  its  victory  over  sin. 
Ever  since  Christ  offered  up  the  great  sacrifice  for  sin, 
the  whole  energy  of  Providence  has  been  engaged  to  ma- 
ture the  great  plan  and  gather  in  its  fruits. 

Ride  forth,  then,  victorious  King,  from  conquering  to 
conquer,  till  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  become  the  king- 
dom of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ. 


CHAPTER  V. 


Japheth  in  the  tents  of  Shem :  or,  the  Hand  of  God,  as  seen  in  the  opening  a  way  to  In- 
dia by  the  way  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  The  posterity  of  Japheth.  The  Portu- 
guese empire  in  the  East — its  extent  and  extinction.  Designs  of  Providence  in 
opening  India  to  Europe — not  silks  and  satins,  but  to  ilkistrate  the  evil  of  Idolatry, 
and  the  inefficacy  of  false  religions  and  philosophy  to  reform  men.  The  power  of 
true  rehgion. 

"  God  shall  enlarge  Japheth,  and  he  shall  dwell  in  the  tents  of 
Shemy—Gen.  ix.  27. 

A  REMARKABLE  prophccy,  and  remarkably  fulfilled 
God  has  enlarged  Japheth  by  giving  his  descendants,  for 
a  dwelling  place,  all  Europe,  Asia  Minor,  America,  many 
of  the  islands  of  the  sea,  and  the  northern  portions  of 
Asia.  Japheth  has  peopled  half  the  globe.  Besides  his 
original  possessions,  and  much  gained  by  colonizing,  he 
has  greatly  extended  his  dominions  by  conquest.  The 
Greeks,  the   Romans,  the   English,  have,   successively, 


86  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

"dwelt  in  the  tents  of  Shem."  At  the  present  time,  the 
offspring  of  Japheth,  the  English  chiefly,  wield  the  sceptre 
over  scarcely  less  than  two  hundred  millions  of  the  seed  of 
Shem.  This  is  worthy  of  remark,  especially  in  connec- 
tion with  the  fact,  that  Christianity  has  hitherto  been 
confined,  almost  exclusively,  to  the  posterity  of  Japheth. 
A  line,  encircling  on  the  map  of  the  world  the  nations 
descended  from  Japheth,  incloses  nearly  all  the  Chris- 
tianity at  present  in  the  world.  Before  Christ,  God  com- 
mitted the  riches  of  his  grace  to  the  posterity  of  Shem ; 
since,  he  has  confined  the  same  sacred  trust  to  the  chil- 
dren of  Japheth. 

The  mind  of  the  reader  has  already  been  directed  to 
one  of  the  enlargements  of  Japheth — the  possession  of  the 
American  continent.  I  am  now  prepared  to  speak  of  an- 
other, an  enlargement  eastioard,  the  discovery  of  the 
great  East,  by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope — another  theatre 
on  which  should  be  acted  the  great  drama  of  human  sal- 
vation. 

When,  in  the  fifteenth  century,  God  w^as  about  to  pu- 
rify and  enlarge  his  church,  when  the  King  was  pre- 
paring for  a  glorious  onward  march  of  the  truth  by  pro- 
viding resources,  men,  means,  and  all  sorts  of  facilities, 
an  enlargement  of  territory  was  by  no  means  the  least 
providential  desideratum.  The  church  would  soon  need 
room ;  new  provinces,  new  continents,  whither  to  trans- 
plant the  "  vine"  of  Calvary.  But  God  never  lacks  ex- 
pedients. A  spirit  of  bold  adventure  moves  again  over 
the  face  of  the  deep,  and  not  only  a  new  continent  arises 
beyond  the  dark  weaves  of  the  great  Western  sea,  but, 
nearly  at  the  same  time,  an  old  continent,  scarcely  more 
known,  emerges  from  the  thick  darkness  of  paganism  in 
the  far  East. 

We  have  seen  the  church  reformed  and  renovated, 
armed  and  strengthened  for  some  grand  onset  upon  the  na- 
tions. And  we  have  seen  the  field  already  opened  west- 
ward, wide  enough,  and  promising  enough  to  engage  all 
her  renerved  energies.  But  should  the  star  of  Bethle- 
hem, now  just  emerging  from  the  darkness  of  the  past 
centuries,  shine  only  westward  ?  Should  the  vast  re- 
gions, peopled  by  so  many  myriads  of  immortals,  and  once 


PASSAGE  TO   INDIA  DISCOVERED.  87 

cheered  by  the  "  star  of  the  East,"  forever  He  under  the 
darkness  of  Paganism  ?  The  good  pleasure  of  Heaven 
is  here,  as  always,  indicated  by  the  stately  steppings  of 
Providence. 

While  the  Reformation  is  yet  developing  in  Europe, 
and  its  energies  are  being  matured  for  an  onward  move- 
ment, just  the  time  when  mind  is  beginning  to  assume  its 
independence,  and  religion  its  vitality,  all  the  wealth,  and 
wdckedness,  and  woe,  of  the  East,  with  its  teeming  mill- 
ions of  deathless  souls,  are  being  laid  open  to  the  ameli- 
orating process  of  reformed  Christianity.  It  shall  be  our 
business  to  trace  the  manner  in  which  this  has  been 
done ;  and  to  mark  the  hand  of  God  as  he  has  compassed 
such  a  result.  It  is  not  ours,  however,  to  stop  here  to 
deplore,  as  we  might,  man^s  delinquency,  as  a  reason  why 
these  vast  and  populous  regions  have  not,  since  having 
been  made  accessible,  been  sooner  Christianized  and 
blessed,  but  rather  to  admire  God's  efficiency  in  intro- 
ducing them  to  the  West,  and  giving  them  into  the  hands 
of  Christian  nations  at  this  particular  time. 

The  adventurous  spirit  of  the  fifteenth  century  made 
known  and  accessible  to  the  Christian  world  all  the  rich 
and  populous  countries  of  southern  and  eastern  Asia, 
from  the  river  Indus  to  the  island  of  Japan.  And  it  is 
not  a  little  remarkable  that  the  efforts  which  the  Portu- 
guese and  Spaniards  made  to  drive  the  Moors  from  their 
peninsula,  were  the  beginning  of  these  discoveries.  As, 
from  time  to  time,  they  pursued  those  native  foes  of  the 
cross,  back  to  Afi'ica,  and  coasted  about  its  shores,  taking- 
revenge  for  the  long  series  of  outrages  they  had  suffered 
from  the  Moors,  they  so  improved  their  maritime  skill, 
and  roused  the  enterprise  of  both  monarch  and  people, 
that  soon  they  are  found  pushing  their  adventurous  barks 
southward,  in  attempts  to  find  a  south  point  to  Africa. 
And,  after  many  fruitless  struggles,  Dias  finally  doubled 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  in  1486,  but  made  no  important 
discoveries.  This  was  reserved  for  Vasco  de  Gama, 
twelve  years  later.  He  visited  India,  formed  commer- 
cial relations,  and  laid  the  foundation  for  an  empire. 

Thus,  while  the  territory  of  Mohammedanism  was  nar- 
rowing  in  Europe,  and   the   progress   of  the  Moors  in 


88  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

arts,  sciences,  and  civilization,  was  forever  arrested,  vast 
dominions  were  added  to  Christendom,  at  least  prospect- 
ively, in  the  East,  as  had  been  in  the  West.  And  though, 
for  the  present,  uncultivated  and  unproductive,  they  are 
capable,  under  proper  culture,  of  yielding  an  abundant 
harvest. 

The  Portuguese  were  soon  in  possession  of  a  magnificent 
empire.  Its  extent,  opulence,  and  the  splendor  with 
which  it  was  conducted,  has  scarcely  a  rival  in  the  his- 
tory of  nations.  It  stretched  over  one  hundred  degrees 
of  longitude,  from  the  Red  sea  to  Japan,  embracing  the 
south  of  Persia,  India,  Birmah,  China,  and  the  numerous 
islands  of  the  Indian  archipelago.  Not  less  than  half  the 
entire  population  of  the  globe  were  thus  thrown  into  the 
arms  of  a  nominally  Christian  nation. 

But  the  sceptre  of  this  vast  empire  soon  passes  away, 
first  to  the  Dutch,  and  then  to  the  English.  The  French 
became  competitors,  playing  no  inconsiderable  part  in  the 
game  for  Oriental  kingdoms.  But  they  were  of  Rome, 
and  Rome  should  not  rule  there.  Protestant  England 
has,  at  length,  become  almost  the  sole  owner  of  the  once 
magnificent  empire  of  the  Portuguese.  From  the  Red 
sea  to  Japan  she  has  no  rival. 

Much  has  been  written  on  the  commercial  and  territo- 
rial importance  of  India.  The  discoveries  of  De  Gama 
were  very  justly  regarded  as  commencing  a  new  era  in 
the  world  ;  and  history  will  never  overlook  the  undoubted 
benefits  of  the  new  relations  which  were,  from  this  time, 
formed  between  the  West  and  the  East.  Yet  the  saga- 
city of  the  world  has  lost  sight  of  the  chief  design  of 
Providence  in  these  discoveries.  Was  it  simply  that  Eu- 
rope might  be  "  replenished  from  the  East,"  and  "  please 
herself  in  the  children  of  strangers,"  that  the  immense 
territories  of  India  were  laid  at  her  feet  ?  Was  it  for 
silks  and  satins,  for  luxuries  and  gewgaws — for  no  higher 
objects  than  wealth  and  territorial  aggrandizement,  or 
more  extensive  commercial  relations,  that  the  King  of 
nations  made  Europe  master  of  Asia  ? 

These  are  the  things  the  world  has  so  much  admired 
in  the  nearer  connection  of  Europe  and  Asia.  History, 
eloquence,  poetry,  have  wondered  at  these  mere  incidents 


THE  EVIL  OF  IDOLATRY.  8^ 

in  the  great  scheme  of  Providence,  overlooking  the  chief 
design,  which  we  beheve  to  be,  first,  and  for  a  long  series 
of  years,  to  famish  a  theatre  on  ivhich  to  make  certain  im- 
portant developments,  and  to  teach  the  church  and  the 
world  certain  important  lessons ;  and,  secondly,  to  extend 
the  triumphs  of  the  Cross  over  all  those  countries. 

India  affords  to  such  as  intelligently  and  piously  watch 
the  hand  of  God  in  his  magnificent  movements  in  the 
work  of  redemption,  a  subject  for  intense  and  interesting 
study.  While  developments  in  the  progress  of  the  church 
of  a  different  character  were  transpiring  in  America — 
God  transferring  his  church  thither,  and  planting  her  in  a 
more  congenial  soil,  and  giving  her  room  to  take  root  and 
grow,  India  was,  and  has  continued  to  be,  the  theatre  of 
developments  not  less  interesting.  She  has  stood  for 
centuries  the  teacher  of  nations.  On  that  theatre,  God 
has  all  this  time  been  teaching. 

1.  The  evil  of  Idolatry.  In  the  great  mental  and  reli- 
gious revolution  of  the  sixteenth  century,  God  was  pre- 
paring the  sacramental  host  for  a  more  formidable  onset 
against  the  foes  of  Immanuel.  On  the  one  hand,  he  had 
allowed  the  enemy  to  intrench  himself  in  the  strong- 
holds of  the  earth.  The  wealth,  learning,  philosophy,  re- 
ligion of  the  earliest  civilized,  and  the  most  fertile  and 
populous  portions  of  the  globe ;  their  social  habits,  their 
every-day  maxims,  proverbs,  and  songs ;  their  principles 
of  action  and  habits  of  thinking  were  surrendered  to  the 
foes  of  the  cross.  Centuries  had  riveted  the  chains ;  and 
now  sin  stood  as  the  strong  man  armed,  frowning  defi- 
ance on  all  who  should  question  his  right  to  the  dominion 
of  the  earth.  Idolatry  was  his  strong-hold.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  great  King  had  come  down  to  earth,  and 
cleansed  his  temple,  and  enlarged  the  boundaries  of  the 
true  Israel.  The  number  of  the  faithful  in  Europe  were 
vastly  increased,  and  armed  (by  means  of  the  Bible,  edu- 
cation, the  press,  and  the  mariner's  compass,)  with  a 
power  before  unknown.  Colonies  had  been  planted  in 
this  new  Canaan,  and  here  was  maturing  a  rear  guard, 
which  may  yet  become  the  main  army,  and  spread  its 
wings  eastward  and  westward,  and  become  mighty  to 
the  pulling  down  of  strong-holds.     All  seemed  preparing 

8* 


90  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

for  the  conflict — the  church  to  take  possession  of  the 
earth. 

But  mark  here  the  way  of  the  Lord.  Centuries  are 
permitted  to  elapse  before  these  wide  wastes  are  inclosed 
in  the  garden  of  our  God.  Not  only  must  the  church  be 
better  prepared  to  take  possession — her  numbers  and 
ability  be  so  increased  that  she  may  supply  her  new  allies 
with  the  needed  spiritual  resources,  and  her  active  benev- 
olence and  spirituality  be  such  that  her  image  may, 
with  honor  to  herself  and  to  her  God,  be  stamped  on  the 
heathen  world ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  there  must  needs 
be  an  exhibition  of  the  malady  to  be  healed.  It  must  be 
seen  what  a  potent  foe  to  truth  Idolatry  is-— a  great  sys- 
tem of  infidelity,  ingeniously  devised  in  the  council-cham- 
ber of  hell,  and  fatally  suited  to  the  desires  ,of  the  human 
heart.  The  church,  and  the  world  too,  must  see  what 
Idolatry  is,  in  its  power  to  enslave  and  crush  immortal 
mind ;  in  its  devices  to  deceive ;  in  its  malignant  influ- 
ences to  dry  up  the  social  and  benevolent  aftections ;  in 
its  withering  blight  on  every  starting  germ  of  civilization 
and  learning,  and  in  the  death-blow  it  strikes  to  every 
thing  noble  and  virtuous. 

Hence  the  providential  subjection  of  those  vast  regions 
of  Idolatry  to  Christian  nations.  By  this  means,  the 
church  has  had  a  fair  and  protracted  opportunity  to  con- 
template Idolatry  in  all  its  odious  features,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  fairly  to  test  her  own  professed  principles  and 
zeal  for  its  abolition.  Providentially,  Christian  men,  of 
every  condition  in  life,  and  for  a  long  series  of  years,  have 
resided  among  those  pagan  nations,  and  enjoyed  every  fa- 
cility to  estimate  the  curse  of  Paganism,  both  in  its  bear- 
ing on  this  life,  and  the  life  to  come.  But  the  mere  ex- 
posure of  the  evil  is  not  all. 

2.  India  affords  a  striking  example  of  the  inefficacy  of 
■philosophy  to  reform  man  in  this  life,  or  to  save  him  in 
the  next.  Brahmanism  and  Bhoodism  are  refined  and 
skillfully  formed  systems  of  Idolatry — the  combined  wis- 
dom of  ages.  Philosophy,  metaphysics,  worldly  wisdom, 
were  taxed  to  the  utmost  in  their  production.  They  pre- 
sent a  fair  specimen  of  what  human  reason  can  do.  If 
these  systems  cannot  ameliorate  the  condition  of  man 


INEFFICACY  OF  PHILOSOPHY.  91 

here,  and  hold  out  hopes  of  a  glorious  immortality,  no  re- 
ligion of  human  origin  can. 

But  as  the  great  "experiment  has  been  in  progress  some 
thousand  years,  and  during  the  last  three  hundred  and 
fifty  under  the  eye  of  Christendom,  what  has  been  the 
result  ?  As  a  remedy  for  the  moral  maladies  of  man  has 
it  been  efficacious  ?  Has  the  nation  been  reformed,  or 
individuals?  Has  it  shed  a  ray  of  light  on  the  dark 
path-way  to  the  tomb,  or  raised  a  single,  cheering  hope 
beyond  the  veil  of  the  flesh  ?  Where  has  it  wiped  the 
tear  from  sorrow's  eye,  or  spoken  peace  to  the  troubled 
spirit,  or  supplied  the  wants  of  the  needy,  or  opened  the 
prison-doors  to  them  that  are  bound?  Where  has  it 
spread  its  fostering  wings  over  the  rising  genius  of  civili- 
zation, nurtured  the  institutions  of  learning,  or  been  the 
patron  of  virtue  and  morality  ?  Three  and  a  half  centu- 
ries (since  the  eyes  of  Europe  have  been  on  India,) 
have  surely  been  a  sufficient  time — to  say  nothing  of 
the  thirty  or  forty  centuries  which  preceded — to  test 
the  merits  of  a  religion.  And  what  has  been  the  result  ? 
It  is  stereotyped  in  the  vices  and  superstitions,  in  the 
crimes  and  ignorance,  in  the  debasement  and  corruption 
of  those  nations.  In  spite  of  the  most  scrupulous  observ- 
ance of  rites,  and  the  most  costly  austerities,  they  have 
waxed  worse  and  worse.  In  their  religion,  there  is  no 
principle  of  veneration.  The  more  religion  they  have, 
the  more  corrupt  they  are. 

Nor  has  Mohammedanism  been  scarcely  more  success- 
ful. Incorporating  more  of  truth,  its  votaries  are  not 
sunk  so  low  as  pagans,  yet  it  has  altogether  failed  of  an- 
swering the  end  for  which  man  needs  a  religion. 

India  has,  therefore,  been  made  a  theatre  from  which 
the  nations  might  learn  the  inefficacy  of  philosophy  and 
man's  wisdom  to  produce  a  moral  reformation.  And 
more  than  this :  Providence  has  been  there  teaching, 

3.  The  ineficacy  of  a  corrupt  Christianity  to  renovate 
and  bless  a  nation.  As  far  back  as  history  reaches,  the 
thick  darkness  of  the  East  has  been  made  visible  by  the 
faint  glimmerings  of  the  light  of  truth.  During  all  her 
long  and  melancholy  alienation  from  the  true  God,  India 
has,  perhaps,  never  been  without  her  witnesses  for  the 


92  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

truth.  To  say  nothing  of  many  relics  of  patriarchal  reli- 
gion, a  large  number  of  Jews,  after  the  destruction  of  the 
first  temple,  and  the  conquest  and  captivity  of  the  nation 
by  Nebuchadnezzar,  (588,  B.  C.,)  yielding  to  the  stern 
necessity  of  the  conqueror's  power,  forsook  their  na- 
tive land — the  lovely  hills  and  smiling  valleys  of  Pales- 
tine and  Mount  Zion,  whose  very  dust  they  loved,  and 
their  temple,  the  beauty  of  the  whole  earth,  and  sought 
an  asylum  amidst  the  idolatrous  nations  of  India.  They 
carried  with  them  the  writings  of  the  Old  Testament, 
were  accompanied  with  more  or  less  of  their  religious 
teachers,  established  their  synagogue  worship,  and  be- 
came, in  all  things,  Jewish  communities,  amidst  a  great 
pagan  nation.  These  are  known  by  the  name  of  Black 
Jews,  in  distinction  from  the  Jerusalem  or  White  Jews. 

They  are  scattered  throughout  India,  China,  and  Tar- 
tary.  To  Dr.  Buchanan,  who  visited  them  in  1806 — 8, 
and  to  whom  we  are  indebted  principally  for  the  few  in- 
teresting items  we  have  of  their  history,  they  gave  a  list 
of  sixty-five  places,  where  societies  of  Black  Jews  then 
resided,  and  among  which  a  constant  communication  is 
kept  up.  Having  been  exposed  to  an  Indian  sun  nearly 
twenty-four  centuries,  in  complexion  they  are  scarcely 
to  be  distinguished  from  the  Hindoos.  These  voluntary 
exiles  have,  during  this  long  period,  been  remarkably  pre- 
served as  a  monument  of  the  ancient  economy. 

The  Jerusalem  or  White  Jews,  for  very  similar  rea- 
sons, bade  a  reluctant  farewell  to  their  native  Judea,  af- 
ter the  destruction  of  the  second  temple,  and  the  over- 
throw of  the  Jewish  nation  by  the  Romans  under  Titus. 
Says  a  narrative  preserved  among  them,  "  A  numerous 
body  of  men,  women,  priests  and  Levites,  departed  from 
Jerusalem  and  came  to  this  land.  There  were  among 
them  men  of  repute  for  learning  and  wisdom ;  and  God 
gave  the  people  favor  in  the  sight  of  the  king,  who,  at 
that  time,  reigned  here  ;  and  he  granted  them  a  place  to 
dwell  in,  called  Cranganore."  Others  followed  them 
from  Judea,  Spain,  and  other  places.  Here  they  pros- 
pered a  thousand  years.  Since  that  period,  they  have 
been  made  to  participate  in  the  bitter  cup  of  their  dis- 
persed brethren.     Dissensions  within,  and  wars  without, 


THE    SYRIAN    CHRISTIANS.  93 

have  diminished  and  scattered  them ;  yet  they  are  to  be 
found,  at  this  day,  at  Cochin,  where  they  worship  the 
God  of  their  fathers,  in  their  synagogues,  every  sabbath 
day.  They  have  the  Old  Testament  and  many  Hebrew 
manuscripts. 

Thus  has  Providence,  for  nearly  two  thousand  and 
four  hundred  years,  preserved  a  succession  of  witnesses 
for  the  truth  in  the  land  of  idols — not  at  the  first,  lights 
of  great  brilliancy,  and  growing  more  and  more  dim  as 
the  latter-day  glory  approached,  and  the  great  Light 
arose,  but  sufficient  to  keep  alive,  in  the  heart  of  a  great 
nation  of  pagans,  some  idea  of  the  true  God. 

Nor  is  this  all :  another  succession  of  witnesses,  of  a 
still  higher  order,  has  existed  there  ever  since  the  age  of 
the  apostles,  in  the  Syrian  Christians.  Tradition  reports 
that  St.  Thomas  first  introduced  the  gospel  into  those 
distant  regions,  and  there  established  the  Christian  church. 
They  are  called,  to  this  day,  St.  Thomas  Christians, 
Like  the  Jewish  church,  just  alluded  to,  their  light  shone 
brightest  at  the  first,  but  grew  dimmer  as  the  light  of 
the  Reformation  shed  its  healing  rays  on  the  East.  So 
numerous  and  flourishing  were  they  in  the  fourth  cen- 
tury, that  they  were  represented,  in  the  council  of  Nice, 
(325,)  by  their  patriarch,  or  archbishop. 

On  the  arrival  of  Vasco  de  Gama,  (1503,)  he  found 
more  than  one  hundred  flourishing  Christian  churches  on 
the  Malabar  coast,  and  though  sad  havoc  had  been  made 
by  the  emmissaries  of  Rome,  there  were,  at  the  time  of 
Dr.  Buchanan's  visit,  fifty-five  churches,  and  about  fifty 
thousand  souls,  who  had  not  acknowledged  the  suprem- 
acy of  the  Pope.  The  churches,  in  the  interior  especially, 
would  not  yield  to  Rome,  but  continued  to  receive  their 
bishops  from  Antioch,  as  they  had  done  from  the  first. 
They  are  a  branch  of  the  Nestorian  Church,  which  is,  at 
present,  exciting  a  laudable  interest,  and  which,  in  the 
early  ages  of  Christianity,  was  favorably  known  in  the 
history  of  the  church  for  the  establishment  of  missions  in 
India,  China,  and  Tartary.  They  have  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, and  other  manuscripts,  in  the  Syriac  language,  and 
use,  in  divine  service  on  Lord's  day,  the  Liturgy  formerly 
used  by  the  church  at  Antioch ;  and  it  is  their  honest 


94  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

pride  that  they  date  their  origin  back  to  that  period,  and 
to  that  land,  where  Christianity  first  rose,  and  to  that 
particular  spot  where  the  disciples  were  first  called  Chris- 
tians. 

Their  former  glory  has  departed,  and  they  are  but  the 
shadow  of  what  they  were ;  yet,  their  light  still  flickers 
amidst  the  wide  extended  darkness  of  that  land  of  death. 
For  centuries  has  this  light  shone  on  the  surrounding 
darkness,  which  has  but  ill  comprehended  it.  These 
Christian  communities  bore  a  decided  testimony  in  favor 
of  the  religion  of  Jesus,  and,  through  successive  genera- 
tions, exerted  no  inconsiderable  influence  in  refining,  lib- 
eralizing, and  improving  the  moral  condition  of  vast  mul- 
titudes of  pagans.  In  the  ordering  of  an  eventful  Provi- 
dence, Christianity  has  had  witnesses  there -from  its  ori- 
gin ;  and  systems  of  Idolatry  have  been  modified  to  meet 
the  advancing  state  of  the  human  mind,  under  the  benign 
auspices  of  the  gospel.* 

From  time  to  time,  light  has  been  breaking  in  from 
other  quarters.  The  nations  of  Western  Asia,  have, 
from  time  immemorial,  sustained  commercial  relations 
with  India.  An  extensive  trade  was  carried  on  through 
the  Red  Sea,  and  the  Persian  Gulph,  and  thence  over 
land  to  the  great  emporiums  of  the  West.  Hence  Chris- 
tian travelers,  merchants,  civil  functionaries,  and  vari- 
ous classes  of  adventurers,  traversed  these  vast  regions 
of  the  shadow  of  death.  Many  of  these,  at  different 
periods,  settled  in  the  country  ;  others  were  only  sojourn- 
ers. All  added  something  to  the  general  stock  of  a 
knowledge  of  Christianity — a  further  monument  to  the 
truth  of  God,  in  these  wide  fields  of  Idolatry.  The 
Armenians,  the  Greeks,  the  Venetians  and  Genoese,  each 
contributed  a  share  to  scatter  light  and  truth  in  the  East. 

These  were  some  of  the  agencies  in  operation  before 
the  discoveries  of  De  Gama.  And,  what  is  worthy  of 
special  remark,  they  were  effective  just  in  proportion  as 
they  contained  the  salt  of  the  pure  religion.     Their  illu- 

*  The  ideas  which  the  Hindoos  have  of  an  Incarnation,  as  discovered,  particularly 
in  the  history  of  their  god,  Krishna,  and,  perhaps,  all  they  know  of  the  Trinity,  has 
been  smuggled  into  Hindooiem  from  Christianity. 


ROMANISM  IN  INDIA.  95 

mination  was  in  proportion  to  the  truth  they  embodied 
and  illustrated. 

But  it  is  time  to  turn  to  what  may  be  termed  the  great 
effort  to  convert  India  to  the  Christian  faith.  We  have 
said  the  Portuguese  established  a  magnificent  empire  in 
the  East,  embracing  all  the  southern  portions  of  Asia. 
A  leading  feature  in  their  government  every  where,  was 
to  establish  their  religion,  to  erect  churches,  support 
priests,  and  convert  the  natives,  whether  by  persuasion 
or  force.  Thus  were  the  banners  of  the  Romish  reli- 
gion fully,  and  for  a  long  time,  unfurled  over  more  than 
three  hundred  millions  of  pagans.  Every  influence, 
(but  light  and  love,)  not  excepting  the  horrors  of  the 
Inquisition,  was  used  to  swell  the  number  of  converts. 
Romanism  has  abounded  in  those  countries.  Tens  of 
thousands  of  churches  and  priests,  and  millions  of  com- 
municants, have  represented, — rather  mzVrepresented 
Christianity  there,  for  three  hundred  years. 

And  what  has  been  the  result  ?  Has  not  the  leaven 
had  time  to  work,  and  show  what  has  been  the  efficacy 
of  all  that  gorgeous  array  of  the  Romish  faith  and  ritual, 
in  ameliorating  the  temporal  condition,  and  improving 
the  moral  state  of  myriads  of  converts  to  Rome  ?  We 
can  bear  personal  testimony  that,  in  India,  there  has 
probably  been  nothing  gained  by  the  change.  It  has 
been  little  more  nor  less  than  passing  from  one  set  of 
rites,  usages  and  superstitions,  to  another,  as  worthless 
and  debasing,  and  from  the  worship  of  one  set  of  ima- 
ges to  that  of  another.  In  general,  Romanism  imposes 
less  restraint  on  the  immoral,  than  Hindooism. 

It  would,  perhaps,  be  too  much  to  say  that  India  has 
received  no  good  at  the  hands  of  Rome ;  yet  we  may 
safely  say,  the  experiment,  so  long  and  so  extensively  tried, 
when  viewed  in  the  light  of  renovating  India,  has  been  a 
complete  failure.  Nor  has  its  influence  been  but  neutral. 
The  little  good  it  may  have  effected,  is  no  compensation 
for  the  gross  misrepresentation  it  has  made  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  and  the  consequent  prejudice  with  which 
it  has  armed  the  Pagan  mind  against  Christianity  in  any 
form. 

Never,  perhaps,  has  the  Romish  church  had  a  more 


96  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

faithful  or  successful  missionary  in  the  East,  than  the 
Abbe  Dubois.  Yet,  after  a  residence  of  thirty  years,  and 
having  made  ten  tliousand  converts,  he  leaves  in  despair 
of  ever  seeing  any  favorable  moral  change  in  the  Hin- 
doos, declaring  that  out  of  this  immense  multitude,  he 
could  recall  but  a  single  instance  where  he  believed  there 
was  any  moral  renovation  ;  thus  palpably  conceding  the 
complete  impotency  of  Romanism,  to  raise,  purify  and 
bless  a  debased  people. 

Providence,  on  a  large  scale,  has  here  furnished  a  prac- 
tical illustration,  that  a  spurious  Christianity  has  not  the 
power  to  renovate  and  raise  to  spiritual  health  and  life 
a  Pagan  nation. 

Another  lesson  designed  to  be  taught  on  the  broad 
arena  of  Paganism  beyond  the  Cape,  is,  .that  nothing 
short  of  sviritual  Christianity,  can  renovate  the  great 
East.  What  Romanism  has  so  signally  failed  to  do,  the 
Bible,  in  the  hands  of  the  living  preacher,  is  nobly  doing. 
Habits  and  usages,  inveterate  and  formidable,  have  been 
changed;  prejudices  removed,  and  character,  individual, 
and  in  whole  communities,  completely  transformed. 
Pure  Christianity  has  shown  itself  omnipotent  there. 
Already  we  number  hundreds  of  thousands  of  Protestant 
Christians,  in  India  alone,  many  of  whom  give  pleasing 
evidence  of  a  moral  change.  And  nothing  but  increased 
means  and  men,  and  the  smiles  of  Heaven,  are  needed 
to  increase  these  successes  to  any  extent. 

We  need  no  further  guarantee  that  the  gospel  of  Christ 
is  potent  enough  to  bring  back  to  God,  any  and  all  those 
mighty  nations  of  the  East. 

Such  are  the  points  which  have  already  been  illustra- 
ted through  the  discovery  of  India.  But  this  is  no  more 
than  the  beginning.  India,  and  all  the  countries  of  the 
East,  are  to  be, — are  already  being,  converted  to  God. 
What  a  field  !  What  teeming  millions  of  immortal  souls  ! 
De  Gama  introduced  to  Europe  half  the  population 
of  the  globe.  Would  we,  therefore,  scan  the  chief  design 
of  Providence,  in  the  event  of  these  Eastern  discoveries, 
we  must  anticipate  the  day  when  all  their  nations,  tongues 
and  people,  shall  be  gathered  into  the  fold  of  the  great 
Shepherd.     Then  shall  the  God  of  Japheth  indeed  dwell 


FUTURE  DESIGNS   OF  PROVIDENCE.  97 

in  the  tents  of  Shem,  and  they  shall  be  one  fold,  and 
the  great  purposes  of  Providence  be  consummated  in 
adding  to  the  domains  of  the  true  church,  all  those  pop- 
ulous territories  which  have  so  long  a  time  lain  in  bond- 
age to  the  prince  of  this  world. 

If  we  may  infer  the  future  designs  of  Providence, 
from  the  past  and  the  present,  we  shall  entertain  the  most 
stupendous  expectations  of  what  is  yet  to  transpire  on 
that  vast  theatre.  At  one  time  we  saw  the  empire  of  all 
the  East,  as  by  magic,  laid  prostrate  at  the  foot  of  Rome. 
Then,  in  a  little  time,  a  sudden  and  unexpected  revolu- 
tion transfers  the  vast  possessions  of  the  Portuguese  into 
Protestant  hands.  From  the  time  the  Portuguese  first 
gained  a  foothold  in  India,  till  their  magnificent  empire 
had  passed  away,  and  the  English  had  supplanted  them 
and  become  master  of  their  dominions,  was  scarcely 
more  than  a  single  century.  The  transfer  has  supplied  a 
marvelous  chapter  in  the  book  of  Providence.  The 
ultimate  design,  we  doubtless  have  not  seen  ;  yet  we 
have  seen  enough  to  raise  our  admiration.  It  is  through 
Protestant  England  that  those  great  and  populous  nations 
are  opened  for  the  entrance  o\  the  gospel.  British  rule, 
and  admission  and  protection  to  the  missionary,  are 
co-extensive.  A  word  and  a  blow,  from  the  little  Isle  in 
the  West.,  and  Despotism  and  Idolatry  loose  the  chains 
with  which  they  had  for  so  many  centuries  bound  their 
stupid  victims,  and  more  than  half  the  population  of  the 
globe  are  accessible  to  the  embassador  of  the  cross.  The 
field  is  white  for  the  harvest. 

Obstacles  have  been  removed.  Paganism  is  in  its 
dotage.  Unsupported  by  any  state  alliance,  or  any  prop, 
save  that  of  abstract  depravity,  it  can  offer  no  formida- 
ble opposition  to  the  introduction  of  Christianity.  The 
haughty  followers  of  the  Arabian  prophet,  too,  have  been 
humbled,  and  the  power  of  their  arm  broken.  The 
Romish  Inquisition  there  has  been  silenced,  and  many  a 
strong-hold  of  the  Papacy  demolished.  The  Bible  has 
been  translated  into  every  principal  language  ;  the  press 
is  established  in  almost  every  important  position  in  the 
great  field,  so  many  radia^ting  points  of  light  and  truth  ; 
education  is  doing  its  work,  preparing  the  minds  of  hun- 

9 


98  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

dreds  of  thousands  to  receive  the  healing  influence  of 
the  words  of  truth.  An  acquaintance  has  been  formed 
with  the  rehgions,  the  philosophy,  the  languages  of  these 
Pagan  nations  ;  with  their  manners,  customs,  history, 
modes  of  thinking  and  reasoning.  Dictionaries  and 
grammars  have  been  prepared,  and  a  great  variety  of 
books.  Schools  have  been  established, — churches  erected, 
and,  indeed,  an  extensive  apparatus  is  ready  for  the 
evangelical  workman.  Knowledge  has  been  increased, 
the  blessings  of  civilization,  and  the  results  of  modern 
inventions  and  discoveries  introduced,  and,  finally,  the 
benign  influences  of  Christianity  have  already,  to  a  no 
inconsiderable  extent,  unfurled  their  banners  over  those 
lands  of  darkness  and  spiritual  death.  Among  the 
130,000,000,  of  India,  there  is  scarcely  a  village  which  is 
not  accessible  to  some,  if  not  to  all,  the  labors  of  the 
missionary. 

Or  were  we  to  contemplate  the  success  which  has 
already  attended  the  very  partial  endeavors  which  have 
been  made  to  convert  India,  we  should  still  more  admire 
the  Hand  that  doeth  wonders,  and  look  that,  at  no  dis- 
tant future,  the  great  Gentile  world  shall  pay  their  hom- 
age at  the  feet  of  their  rightful  Sovereign.  Whole  com- 
munities,— numerous,  contiguous  villages,  as  in  the  prov- 
ince of  Krishnugar,  South  India  and  Ceylon,  have  cast 
away  their  idols,  and  professed  allegiance  to  Christ. 

If  we  may  take  what  is,  as  a  presage  of  what  shall  be, 
— if  we  may  judge  what  the  building  shall  be,  by  an 
inspection  of  the  foundation, — the  superstructure  from 
the  vast  amount  of  materials  we  see  in  the  course  of 
preparation,  we  must  believe  Providence  has  a  stupen- 
dous plan  yet  to  accomplish,  in  connection  with  the  East. 
The  intelligent  and  pious  reader  of  history  will  re-peruse 
the  record  of  God's  dealings  towards  the  Gentiles  of 
Asia, — especially  will  he  ponder  with  new  interest,  that 
single  act  of  Providence,  which,  in  the  close  of  the  fif- 
teenth century,  opened  a  high-way  between  Europe  and 
Asia,  bringing  the  wants  and  woes  of  Asia  to  the  very 
doors  of  Anglo-Saxon  Christianity,  to  prefer  their  own 
claims  for  aid,  and  pouring  the  light  and  spiritual  life  of 
Truth,  as  a  fertilizing  river,  over  the  vast  deserts  of  Asia. 


GREAT  DESIGN   IN  RESPECT  TO  INDIA.  99 

The  imperfect  view  which  has  here  been  taken  of  a 
subject  which,  of  itself,  cannot  but  interest  the  philosophi- 
cal historian  and  the  contemplative  Christian,  will,  at 
least,  leave  on  the  mind  of  the  reader  the  impression 
that  God  has  some  great  design  to  accomplish,  in  respect 
to  India  :  and  it  urges  on  every  friend  of  humanity  and 
of  truth,  the  duty  of  following  in  the  footsteps  of  Provi- 
dence, and  doing  those  things  which,  as  a  matter  of 
means,  shall  carry  out  the  magnificent  plan  of  Him  who 
worketh,  and  no  man  hindereth.  The  vast  and  pro- 
tracted preparation  indicates  such  a  design.  Three  cen- 
turies and  a  half  have  elapsed  in  preparation.  What 
shall  the  end  be  ? 

Another  obvious  reflection  is,  that  God  takes  time  to 
carry  on  his  work.  Why  has  India  so  long  been  con- 
signed to  waste  and  spiritual  desolation  ?  It  has  been  a 
field  for  observation  and  experiment.  Sin  must  have  its 
perfect  work.  In  its  worst  forms,  it  must  have  time  and 
space  to  luxuriate, — to  go  to  seed,  and  yield  its  noxious 
harvest.  It  must  be  permitted  to  show  what  it  can  do, 
and  all  it  can  do.     It  must  show  itself. 

Finally,  God  here  rebukes  the  impatience  and  distrust 
of  his  people.  They  murmur  and  faint,  because  wicked- 
ness and  oppression  abound,  and  God  does  not  speedily 
avenge  the  cause  of  his  elect,  and  bring  wickedness  to 
an  end.  God  takes  time.  In  the  end,  all  shall  be  put  in 
order. 

And,  with  the  same  propriety,  it  might  be  asked — 
why  has  Central  and  South  America,  some  of  the  rich- 
est and  most  beautiful  portions  of  our  globe,  been  con- 
signed for  so  long  a  time,  to  waste  and  spiritual  desolation ; 
been  allowed  to  be  trampled  under  foot,  and  devastated 
by  the  Papal  Beast  ?  Rome  has  been  trying  her  experi- 
ment there,  and  after  a  fair  trial  for  centuries,  we  see 
what  Rome  can  do.  She  has  had  the  training  of  the 
aborigines  of  those  countries  all  to  herself,  with  every 
possible  natural  advantage ;  and  we  do  her  no  injustice, 
when  w^e  take  their  social,  political,  moral  and  religious 
condition,  as  a  sample  of  the  value  of  Romish  missions, 
and  of  the  transforming  efficacy  of  Romish  Christianity. 

New  developments  are  now  being  made  on  the  Ameri- 


100  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

can  continent,  in  respect  to  India  and  the  great  East. 
The  present  "  California  excitement,"  seems  to  be  another 
of  the  great  pulsations  of  Providence,  to  open  a  passage 
through  the  whole  breadth  of  our  continent,  to  form  a 
great  commercial  depot  and  thoroughfare  on  the  Pacific, 
and  open  a  new  line  of  communication  with  the  whole 
eastern  world.  It  is  an  historical  fact,  often  admired, 
that  what  is  called  the  "India  trade,"  has  never  failed 
to  enrich  and  aggrandize  every  western  nation  which 
has  been  able  to  secure  it  :  and  that  every  7'oute  through 
which  this  commerce  and  intercourse  has  passed,  has 
been  most  signally  benefited.  Of  the  latter,  the  eye  at 
once  fixes  on  Palmyra,  Balbec,  Alexandria,  Venice  ;  all 
owed  their  grandeur,  wealth  and  importance,  to  the  rela- 
tions in  which  they  stood  to  the  India  trade.  We  are 
yet  to  see  w^iether  another  "  Tadm.or  of  the  Desert,"  is 
not  to  spring  up  on  the  Pacific, — whether  the  stupendous 
bay  of  San  Francisco  is  not  to  be  the  great  depot  of 
the  Eastern  tracje, — whether  a  new  route  is  not  to  be 
opened  to  this  trade,  and  its  advantages  now  be  trans- 
ferred another'  step  westward. 


CHAPTER  YI. 


God  in  history.  The  Cliurch  safe.  Expulsion  of  the  Moors  from  Spain.  Transfer  of 
India  to  Protestant  hands.  Phihp  H.  and  Holland.  Spanish  invincible  Armada. 
The  bloody  Mary  of  England.  Dr.  Cole  and  Elizabeth  Edmonds.  Cromwell  and 
Hampden  to  sail  for  America.  Return  of  the  Waldenses  and  Henry  Arnaud.  Gun- 
powder plot.  Cromwell's  usurpation.  Revolution  of  16S3.  James  II.  and  Louis 
XIV.    Peter  the  Great.    Rare  constellation  of  great  men. 

"  The  LorcPs  portion  is  his  people.     Jacob  is  the  lot  of  his  in- 
heritance" <Sfc. — Deut.  xxxii.  9 — 14. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  tender  and  unremitting  care 
of  God  for  his  people.  They  are  termed  "  his  portion," 
"  his  inheritance,"  "  the  apple,  of  his  eye."     "  He  found 


THE    CHURCH    SAFE.  101 

him  in  a  desert  land  and  in  a  waste  howling  wilderness ; 
he  led  him  about ;  he  instructed  him ;  he  kept  him  as  the 
apple  of  his  eye.  As  an  eagle  stirreth  up  her  nest,  flut- 
tereth  over  her  young,  spreadeth  abroad  her  wings, 
taketh  them,  beareth  them  on  her  wings,  so  the  Lord 
alone  did  lead  him,  and  there  was  no  strange  god  with 
him."  And  what  can  surpass  the  beauty  and  richness  of 
the  idea  that  follows :  "  He  made  him  ride  on  the  high 
places  of  the  earth,  that  he  might  eat  the  increase  of  the 
fields  ;  and  he  made  him  to  suck  honey  out  of  the  rock, 
and  oil  out  of  the  flinty  rock  ;  butter  of  kine  and  milk  of 
sheep,  with  fat  of  lambs,  and  rams  of  the  breed  of  Bashan, 
and  goats,  with  the  fat  of  the  kidneys  of  wheat ;  and 
thou  didst  drink  the  pure  blood  of  the  grape ;"  expres- 
sions, though  highly  figurative,  which  indicate  the  exu- 
berance of  the  Divine  goodness,  and  afford  convincing 
proof  of  his  never-failing  care.  God  will  honor  them 
that  honor  him.  They  that  trust  in  him  shall  lack  no 
good  thing. 

That  God  has  abundantly  fulfilled  such  rich  promises, 
that  he  has  uniformly  acted  towards  his  people  as  his 
"  portion,"  his  "  inheritance,"  the  "  apple  of  his  eye,"  has 
already  been  illustrated.  We  have  seen  the  arm  of  the 
Lord  made  bare  to  defend  his  inheritance  in  Jacob,  and 
his  hands  open  to  supply  their  wants.  I  shall  now  ask 
you  to  follow  me  a  little  farther,  and  you  shall  see  the 
same  mighty  arm  still  engaged  on  Zion's  behalf,  and  the 
same  exhaustless  resources  at  her  command.  The  Lord's 
portion  is  his  people. 

I  design,  at  present,  to  direct  your  minds  to  several 

historical  events  which  strikingly  illustrate  the  agency  of 

Providence    in  the    progress    and    establishment  of  the 

Christian  church.      I  can  no  more  than  select  from  a 

great  variety  of  Providential  interpositions.     Indeed,  I 

may  remark  at  the  outset,  that  the  very  existence  of  the 

church  supposes  a  ceaseless  interposition  of  the  Almighty 

arm.     It  is  a  standing  miracle,  not  that  there  should  be 

a  nominal  Christianity  and  a  large  and  powerful  Christian 

church,  for  all  this  might  be  in  perfect  consistency  with 

worldly  principles  ;  the  wonder  is,  that  a  pure  evangelical 

church  should  live  in  the  world  at  all ;  that  she  has  been 

9* 


102  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

allowed  a  permanent  foothold  amidst  the  perverse  gener- 
ations of  men.  The  current  of  the  world,  the  tide  of 
human  affairs,  has  always  been  opposed  to  her.  Persecu- 
tions, wave  after  wave,  have  rolled  over  her ;  yet  she  has 
stood  as  an  immovable  rock  amidst  the  angry  floods. 
Civil  power,  philosophy,  history,  science,  poetry,  fashion, 
custom,  wit,  have  all  in  their  turn  been  made  engines  to 
assail  the  impregnable  fortress  of  Christianity.  Intrigue 
has  spared  no  wicked  device  to  undermine  her  founda- 
tions ;  cruelty  and  unrelenting  hate  have  poured  out  the 
vials  of  their  wrath  in  the  horrors  of  the  Inquisition,  or 
let  loose  the  bloodhounds  of  war  to  worry  out  and  exter- 
minate the  saints  of  the  Most  High.  Heresy,  infidelity, 
superstitions,  and  fanaticism,  misguided  zeal,  unhallowed 
invasions  on  her  doctrines  and  ordinances,  and  all  spuri- 
ous forms  of  Christianity  have,  in  their  turn,  done  what 
they  could  to  prostrate  the  fair  fabric  of  religion,  or  so  to 
undermine  confidence  in  her,  to  arrest  or  neutrahze  her 
benevolent  influences,  as  to  make  her  appear  to  the  world 
of  little  worth.  The  wisdom,  policy,  and  spirit  of  the 
world — the  maxims,  principles,  and  acts  of  the  worldly — 
have  done  any  thing  but  foster  the  vine  brought  out  of 

Egypt. 

And  what  has  been  the  result  ?  The  church  has  out- 
rode every  storm.  She  has  passed  unscathed  by  the 
lightnings  of  human  violence.  Like  the  oak  that  strikes 
its  roots  deeper,  and  clings  to  its  rocky  soil  the  more 
tenaciously,  as  the  storm  beats  and  the  tempest  rages, 
the  church  has  been  strengthened  amidst  the  rigors  of 
persecution,  and  nourished  by  the  blood  of  her  martyrs. 

But  if  we  descend  to  details,  we  shall  be  not  the  less 
gratified  to  discern  the  love  of  God  engaged,  and  his  om- 
nipotent arm  made  bare  to  defend  and  favor  his  beloved 
Zion.  I  shall  direct  your  minds  to  a  few  Idstorical  events 
which  illustrate  this  interesting  truth. 

1.    The  expulsion  of  the  Moors  from  Spain. 

But  a  few  years  elapsed  after  Mohammed  broached 
his  impostures  to  the  world,  before  Moslemism  spread 
over  nearly  all  Asia,  the  eastern  part  of  Europe,  and  a 
great  part  of  Africa.  The  portions  of  Africa  adjacent  to 
Spain  early  became  its  strong-holds.    The  countries  now 


THE    MOORS    EXPELLED    FROM    SPAIN.  103 

called  Morocco  and  Fez  were  then  called  Mauritania,  and 
its  inhabitants  Moors.  They  were  of  Arabian  origin,  and 
seem  to  have  been  an  enterprising,  warlike,  intelligent 
people.  They  formed  the  channel  through  which  the 
knowledge  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  an  acquaintance 
with  civilization,  traveled  into  Europe.  Taking  advan- 
tage of  the  distracted  state  of  Spain,  the  Moors  took  pos- 
session of  large  portions  of  that  country  which  they  held 
near  eight  centuries,  from  713  to  1492.  Here  they 
established  a  magnificent  kingdom,  cultivated  learning, 
while  all  the  rest  of  Europe  was  sunk  in  barbarism,  and 
left  behind  them  enduring  monuments  of  their  industry 
and  skill  in  the  arts. 

We  may  take,  as  some  specimen  of  the  magnificence 
of  the  Saracen  empire,  the  single  city  of  Cordova  ;  which, 
in  point  of  wealth  and  grandeur,  was  scarcely  inferior  to 
its  proud  rival  on  the  banks  of  the  Tigris.  A  space  of 
twenty-four  miles  in  length  and  six  in  breadth,  along  the 
margin  of  the  Guadalquiver,  was  occupied  with  streets, 
gardens,  palaces,  and  public  edifices.  For  ten  miles  the 
citizens  might  travel  by  the  light  of  the  lamps  along  an 
uninterrupted  extent  of  buildings.  In  the  reign  of  Alma- 
zor,  Cordova  could  boast  of  270,000  houses,  80,000  shops, 
80  public  schools,  50  hospitals,  911  baths,  3,877  mosques, 
from  the  minarets  of  which  800,000  persons  wxre  daily 
summoned  to  prayers.  The  seraglio  of  the  caliph  con- 
sisted of  the  enormous  number  of  6,300  wives,  concubines, 
and  black  eunuchs.  The  caliph  was  attended  to  the  field 
by  a  guard  of  12,000  horsemen,  whose  belts  and  scimi- 
tars were  studded  with  gold.  Such  was  Cordova  :  and 
the  city  of  Grenada  was,  perhaps,  equally  celebrated  for 
its  wealth,  luxury,  and  learning. 

At  the  period  of  which  we  now  speak,  nothing  seemed 
more  probable  than  that  the  western  world  and  all  coming 
generations,  should  receive  their  learning,  civilization 
and  religion  at  the  hands  of  the  followers  of  the  false 
prophet.  The  tide  of  human  affairs  now  indicated  that 
the  crescent,  instead  of  the  cross,  would  monopolize  the 
vast  resources  of  knowledge,  of  discoveries,  inventions, 
improvements  in  arts,  advancement  in  the  sciences,  and 
of  all  the  modern  facilities  for  the  propagation  and  estab- 


104  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

lishment  of  religion  which  Christianity  now  enjoys.  Had 
not  the  tide  of  Mahommedan  advancement  been  arrested 
just  at  the  time  it  was,  (a  year  before  the  discovery  of 
America,)  in  all  human  probability  the  vast  advantages 
which  now  accrue  to  Christianity  from  the  use  of  the 
press,  the  mariner's  compass,  the  application  of  steam  to 
the  purposes  of  locomotion  and  the  arts,  and  from  the 
various  rich  improvements  of  modern  days,  would  have 
been  engines  to  propel  onward  the  terrific  car  of  Islam, 
and  crush  in  its  course  every  rising  germ  of  Chris- 
tianity. 

But  He  that  watches  the  falling  sparrow,  and  numbers 
the  hairs  of  your  head,  would  not  have  it  so.  The  man- 
date had  gone  out  from  the  throne  of  the  Majesty  of 
Heaven,  saying  to  the  rolling  billows  of  Arabia's  mad 
fanaticism,  "  Thus  far  shalt  thou  come  and  no  farther." 
When  the  imperial  city  of  Grenada  yielded  to  the  arms 
of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  and  the  banners  of  the  cross 
waved  triumphant  over  the  red  towers  of  the  Alhambra, 
the  tide  of  Mahommedanism  was  turned  back,  and  from 
that  good  hour  the  religion  of  Calvary  was  fledged  for 
her  immortal  flight.  She  now  began  to  rise  from  the 
dust  of  her  debasement,  to  be  seated  on  the  "  white 
horse,"  to  be  borne  aloft  and  far  aw^ay  by  the  hand  of 
her  God,  and  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  facilities 
w4iich  the  world  in  its  late  progress  has  afforded,  for  the 
spread  and  prosperity  of  religion.  Henceforth  these 
facilities  should  be  the  friends  and  servants  of  Christ,  and 
not  the  slaves  of  Mohammed. 

A  few  more  historical  references  will  set  Providential 
interposition  in  a  still  clearer  light.  God  places  the 
Moslems  for  eight  centuries  in  Spain,  just  in  the  position 
where  they  might  act  most  effectually  as  the  handmaid 
of  Europe,  in  the  restoration  of  learning  and  general  ad- 
vancement, uses  them  as  long  as  he  needed,  then  sends 
them  back  to  Africa  just  in  time  to  give  the  empire  of 
letters  and  the  power  of  knowledge  to  his  church.  How 
their  progress  was  arrested  cannot  be  a  matter  void  of 
interest. 

In  the  eighth  century  (732)  it  seemed  that  all  Europe 
must  yield  to  the  arms  of  the  Moslems.     From  the  rock 


THE  SARACENS  DEFEATED.  105 

of  Gibraltar  to  the  Loire,  nothing  impeded  their  progress. 
Another  such  distance  would  have  made  England  a  prov- 
ince of  the  Grand  Caliph  :  "  the  interpretation  of  the 
Koran  had  been  the  scholastic  divinity  of  Oxford'  and 
Edinburgh ;  our  cathedrals  supplanted  by  gorgeous 
mosques,  and  our  pulpits  employed  in  demonstrating  to  a 
circumcised  people  the  truth  of  the  apostleship  and  reve- 
lations of  Mohammed.  Such  was  the  destiny  that  seemed 
to  impend  over  all  Europe,  from  the  Baltic  to  the  Cy- 
clades,  when  the  standard  of  Islam  floated  over  the  walls 
of  Tours."  But  this  cloud  of  devouring  locusts  should 
be  turned  back.  The  hand  of  Providence  was  stretched 
out  to  arrest  the  progress  of  the  conqueror,  and  save  the 
church  of  Christ.  Charles  Martel  was  the  "  hammer" 
in  the  hands  of  Omnipotence  to  break  the  power  of  the 
foe,  and  save  Europe,  to  be  a  field  for  the  development  of 
God's  truth.  The  finger  of  God  is  here  remarkable. 
France  (Gaul)  was  attacked  by  an  army  of  Saracens, 
385,000  strong.  They  were  met  by  the  French,  under 
Charles,  near  Toulouse.  The  great  Abdalrahman  was 
slain,  and,  "  after  a  bloody  battle,  the  Saracens,  in  the 
close  of  the  evening,  returned  to  their  camp.  In  the 
disorder  and  despair  of  the  night,  the  various  tribes  of 
Yemen  and  Damascus,  of  Africa  and  Spain,  were  pro- 
voked to  turn  their  arms  against  each  other ;  the  remains 
of  their  host  were  suddenly  dissolved,  and  each  emir  con- 
sulted his  safety  by  a  hasty  and  separate  flight."  So  fled 
the  Midianites,  and  fell  on  one  another  before  Gideon  and 
his  three  hundred;  and  the  Philistines  before  Jonathan 
and  his  armour-bearer;  and  the  Syrians  when  Israel 
was  afar  off*. 

Mohammedanism  should  not  have  Europe.  Again, 
when  in  full  tide  of  successful  conquest,  the  Saracens 
attack  Italy,  sail  up  the  Tiber,  ravage  the  country  and 
besiege  Rome  ;  on  attempting  to  land,  they  are  furiously 
driven  back  and  cut  to  pieces.  A  stor7n  scatters  one- 
half  of  their  ships,  and,  unable  to  retreat,  they  are  either 
slaughtered  or  made  prisoners.  And  again  was  Europe 
near  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Turks  in  the  17th  cen- 
tury, (1683,)  when  John  Sobieski,  king  of  Poland,  de- 
feated them. 


106  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

No  one  can  take  his  position  on  this  summit  of  his- 
torical record,  without  feehng  that  he  stands  on  a  high 
and  narrow  promontory  between  two  broad  seas,  the  one 
receding  and  rolhng  back  its  turgid  waves  over  the  burn- 
ing sands  of  Africa,  with  hollow  murmurings  of  wounded 
pride  and  dark  chagrin  ;  the  other,  placid  as  when  the 
morning  sun  falls  on  the  bosom  of  the  peaceful  ocean,  its 
deep  blue  waves  gently,  though  irresistibly,  rolling  on, 
and  bearing  the  rich  stores  of  grace  and  truth  from  land 
to  land, 

"  Till,  like  a  sea  of  glory, 
It  spread  from  pole  to  pole." 

We,  after  the  lapse  of  centuries,  occupy  a  position  to 
appreciate  the  momentous  and  important  interposition  of 
Providence  at  this  juncture.  By  turning  back  the  tide 
of  Mohammedanism,  the  way  was  prepared  for  the  Re- 
formation ;  that  it  might  extend  its  peaceful,  purifying 
influences  over  the  wide  domains  of  Europe,  and  reach 
the  arms  of  its  benevolence  over  the  vast  territories 
about  to  be  discovered,  both  in  the  East  and  in  the  West. 
This  singular  interposition  was  by  no  means  overlooked 
at  the  time.  The  downfall  of  Grenada  sent  a  thrill  of 
joy  throughout  all  Christendom,  which  echoed  back  in 
"te  deums"  from  every  corner  of  Spain  and  Portugal, 
from  England,  from  Rome,  and  from  the  whole  Christian 
world.  Infidelity  was  forced  to  exclaim — "  Behold,  what 
hath  God  wrought  ?" 

2.  Another  event,  which  carried  with  it  momentous 
consequences  in  relation  to  Christianity,  and  challenges 
our  admiration,  is  the  t7'ansfer  of  the  immense  and  popu- 
lous territories  of  Asia  from  their  Romish  masters  to  the 
hands  of  Protestants. 

I  have  alluded  to  a  similar  transfer  in  the  early  occu- 
pation of  North  America.  The  fact  of  the  large  posses- 
sions which  the  Portuguese  gained  in  India,  and  so  soon 
and  so  completely  lost,  is  still  more  remarkable.  From 
the  time  the  Portuguese  first  gained  a  foothold  in  India, 
till  their  vast  empire  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
English,  scarcely  more  than  a  single  century  had  elapsed. 
The  ultimate  design  of  this  transfer,  doubtless,  has  not 


INDIA  TRANSFERRED  TO  PROTESTANTS.       107 

yet  transpired,  yet  we  have  seen  enough  ah'eady  to  ex- 
cite our  admiration  of  a  wonder-working  Providence. 
Through  the  influence  of  Protestant  England,  the  great 
and  populous  nations  of  the  East  are  open  to  the  entrance 
of  the  gospel.  The  Romish  Inquisition  has  been  silenced; 
the  powerful  arm  of  idolatry  has  been  broken ;  the 
haughty  followers  of  the  Arabian  prophet  have  been 
humbled,  and  the  strength  of  their  power  prostrated  ; 
knowledge  has  been  increased,  and  the  blessings  of  civili- 
zation and  the  results  of  modern  inventions  and  discov- 
eries have  been  introduced  ;  and  finally,  Christianity,  to 
no  inconsiderable  extent,  unfurled  her  mild  banners  over 
those  lands  of  darkness  and  spiritual  death  ;  and,  pros- 
pectively, we  can  scarcely  select  an  event  pregnant  with 
a  richer  harvest  to  the  Christian  church.  In  the  singu- 
lar, and,  to  all  human  sagacity,  unexpected  transfer  of 
those  idolatrous  nations  from  Catholic  to  Protestant 
hands,  we  distinctly  discern  the  finger  of  God.  "  Only  a 
little  more  than  a  century  ago  it  was  as  likely,  to  all  ap- 
pearance, that  the  Mogul  empire,  (or  India,)  would  have 
passed  into  the  hands  of  France,  of  Portugal,  of  Den- 
mark, of  Holland,  or  even  of  Russia,  as  of  England.  But 
under  the  jealous  despotism  of  Russia,  or  the  ascendency 
of  a  Romish  power,  India  would  have  been  closed  against 
the  missionary."  We  cannot,  therefore,  too  much  ad- 
mire that  special  Providence  which  has  given  almost 
the  entire  heathen  world,  India,  China,  Birmah,  Austral- 
asia, and  many  of  the  islands  of  the  sea,  into  the  hands 
of  the  only  Protestant  nation  "  capable  of  efficiently  dis- 
charging the  high  mission  of  genuine  Christianity 
throughout  the  East." 

3.  The  long  and  bloody  war  which  Spain  about  this  time 
waged  against  Holland  and  the  Low  Countries,  (1559) 
supplies  another  illustration.  Philip  II.,  Emperor  of 
Spain,  was  a  bigoted,  cruel,  intolerant  Catholic.  Hus- 
band of  Mary,  the  bloody  queen  of  England,  and  imbued 
with  a  like  spirit,  he  worried  out  the  saints  of  the  Most 
High,  by  tortures  the  most  barbarous,  and  deaths  the 
most  cruel.  When  he  had  "  hung  and  burnt"  as  many 
as  fell  under  the  cognizance  of  inquisitorial  vigilance  in 
Spain,  Piedmont,  Milan,  and  Calabria,  he  directed  his 


108  "    HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

parental  regard  towards  his  German  possessions.  Hol- 
land and  the  Low  Countries  became  the  prey  of  this  ra- 
vening wolf.  Here  the  seeds  of  the  Reformation  had  been 
profusely  sown  and  taken  deep  root.  Philip  determined 
to  exterminate  the  rising  heresy  by  a  blow.  But  mark 
the  end  of  his  madness.  See  what  God  brought  out  of 
it :  how  he  made  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him,  and 
restrained  the  remainder. 

This  religious  despot  resorted  to  the  most  violent  mea- 
sures to  crush  the  rising  germs  of  religion  and  liberty  in 
that  part  of  his  empire.  He  set  up  the  Inquisition,  aug- 
mented the  number  of  Bishops,  and  enacted  the  most 
severe  and  barbarous  laws  against  all  innovators  in  mat- 
ters of  religion.  And  when  a  persecuted  people  rose  to 
repel  these  invasions  on  all  right  and  conscience,  the 
Duke  of  Alva,  of  bloody  memory,  was  sent  with  a  pow- 
erful army  to  quell  the  rebellion.  A  protracted  and  san- 
guinary war  followed — on  the  one  side  for  liberty,  on  the 
other  for  civil  and  religious  despotism.  But  was  liberty 
crushed — was  the  hated  heresy  of  the  Reformation  exter- 
minated ?  The  issue  was  the  establishment  of  one  of  the 
most  ijowerful  Protestant  States  in  Europe,  the  United 
Provinces  of  the  Nethej^lands. 

Nor  was  this  all  that  Providence  brought  out  of  it. 
Protestant  England  was  drawn  into  the  conflict.  This 
led  to  those  collisions  in  America,  which  broke  the  power 
of  the  Spanish  yoke  there,  and,  instead  of  the  iron  reign 
of  Rome  over  all  the  western  world,  the  way  was  pre- 
pared for  the  empire  of  hberty  and  Protestantism.  And 
there  was  yet  another  issue :  Philip,  chagrined  under  his 
repulses  in  the  Netherlands,  determined  on  a  grand  onset 
upon  England,  which,  while  it  should  revenge  on  Queen 
Elizabeth  for  the  aid  she  had  lent  the  Hollanders  in  their 
late  defence  of  the  principles  of  the  Reformation,  should 
reduce  England  again  to  the  domination  of  Rome. 

This  brings  us  to  another  of  those  grand  interpositions 
of  Providence  in  behalf  of  his  adopted  cause,  viz  : 

4.  The  destruction  of  the  Invincible  Armada  of  Spain. 
Phihp  meditated  signal  vengeance  on  England.  For  this 
purpose  he  fitted  out  the  most  formidable  naval  armament 
that  ever  rode  on  the  ocean.     The  project  was  no  less 


INVINCIBLE    ARMADA.  109 

than  the  complete  subjugation  of  England  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  religion  of  Rome  throughout  all  Europe. 
The  crisis  of  Protestantism  had  come.  Should  England 
— should  the  rising  colonies  of  this  New  World — should 
all  Europe  and  Asia  smile  under  the  benign  auspices  of 
the  cross,  or  groan  beneath  the  usurpations  of  Rome  ? 
The  vast  empire  of  Philip  was  roused  to  strike  a  fatal 
blow.  The  noise  of  preparation  sounded  in  every  part  of 
his  dominions.  "  In  all  the  ports  of  Sicily,  Naples,  Spain, 
and  Portugal,  artizans  were  employed  in  building  vessels 
of  uncommon  size  and  force ;"  naval  stores  collected  ; 
provisions  amassed ;  armies  levied ;  and  plans  laid  for 
fitting  out  such  a  fleet  as  had  never  before  been  seen  in 
Europe.  Ministers,  generals,  admirals,  men  of  every  craft 
and  name  were  employed  in  forwarding  the  grand  design. 
Three  years  elapsed  in  the  stupendous  preparations.  Who 
could  doubt  that  such  preparations,  conducted  by  officers 
of  such  consummate  skill,  would  finally  be  successful  ? 
Confident  of  success,  and  ostentatious  of  their  power,  they 
had  already  denominated  this  armament  the  Invincihle 
Armada. 

The  time  for  the  actual  invasion  drew  near.  Troops 
from  all  quarters  were  assembling;  from  Italy,  Spain, 
Flanders,  Austria,  the  Netherlands,  and  the  shores  of  the 
Baltic.  One  general  burst  of  enthusiasm  pervaded  every 
nook  and  corner  of  the  empire.  Princes,  dukes,  nobles, 
men  of  all  ranks  and  conditions,  equally  embarked  their 
fortunes,  lives,  and  honors,  in  an  enterprise  so  promising 
of  wealth  and  glory,  and  so  calculated  to  engage  their 
religious  enthusiasm.  And  further  to  cherish  the  general 
infatuation,  the  Pope  had  fulminated  a  fresh  bull  of  ex- 
communication against  Elizabeth,  declared  her  deposed, 
dissolved  her  subjects  from  their  oath  of  allegiance,  and 
granted  a  plenary  indulgence  to  all  who  should  engage  in 
the  invasion.  AH  were  elated  with  the  highest  hopes  of 
success.  And  who  could  doubt  that  in  a  few  short  weeks 
English  power  would  be  prostrate,  and  English  Protest- 
antism no  more  ?  But  follow  on  a  little,  and  behold  the 
Hand  of  Him  who  keepeth  Israel  as  the  apple  of  his  eye. 

This  formidable  armament  had  been  consigned  to  the 
command  of  the  Marquis  of  Santa  Croce,  a  sea  officer  of 

10 


110  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

great  reputation  and  experience ; — and  who  should  dare 
whisper  a  doubt  that  such  an  armament,  under  such  a 
commander,  should  not  annihilate  the  Reformed  Religion 
from  the  face  of  the  earth.  But  mark  its  progress.  The 
moment  the  Invincible  Armada  is  ready  for  sea,  the  ad- 
miral is  seized  with  fever,  and  dies.  And  by  a  singular 
concurrence  the  vice-admiral  meets  the  same  fate.  The 
fleet  is  delayed.  England  gains  time.  An  inexperienced 
admiral  is  appointed.  The  fleet  sails  (1588) — the  next 
day  meets  a  violent  tempest  which  scatters  the  ships — 
some  are  sunk,  and  others  compelled  to  put  back  into 
port.  Again  they  are  all  at  sea,  and  are  descried  approach- 
ing the  shores  of  England,  with  fresh  hopes  in  the  prose- 
cution of  their  enterprise.  The  English  admiral  sees  the 
Armada,  "  coming  full  sail  towards  him,  di&posed  in  the 
form  of  a  crecent,  and  stretching  the  distance  of  seven 
miles  from  the  extremity  of  one  division  to  that  of  the 
other."  Never  had  so  mighty  a  fleet  rode  the  ocean  be- 
fore, and  never,  perhaps,  the  confidence  of  man  so  positive 
of  success.  Protestantism  was,  in  anticipation,  annihilated. 
These  vessels  brought  the  implements  of  torture  by  which 
the  stern  heretics  of  England  were  to  pay  the  price  of 
their  defection  from  Rome.  The  writer  has  seen,  in 
Queen  Elizabeth's  armory  in  the  Tower  of  London,  the 
thumb-screws,  fetters,  battle-axes,  boarding-pikes,  and 
the  invincible  banner,  which  were  taken  as  spoils  from  the 
Armada. 

But  behold  the  hand  of  God  here.  Just  as  the  lion, 
sure  of  his  prey,  was  about  to  pounce  on  the  lamb, 
Heaven  interposes.  The  Lord  of  armies  fought  for  his 
own  cause.  The  firmness  and  courage  of  the  English 
were  less  remarkable  than  the  temerity  and  confusion  of 
the  enemy.  The  elements  fought  for  the  righteous  cause. 
The  fire,  the  wind  and  tempest  were  so  many  angels  of 
death  to  the  boasted  invincibility  of  the  Spaniards.  The 
destruction  of  this  vast  and  formidable  armament  was 
effected  almost  without  human  agency.  Deus  flavit  et 
dissipantur. 

The  visionary  scheme  of  Philip  vanished  like  the  sum- 
mer's cloud.  Never  was  a  project  more  wisely  planned ; 
never  prepai'ations  more  ample,    or    hopes    of   success 


PAPAL    CUALITIUN.  HI 

raised  higher.  Very  sHght  obstacles  were  anticipated  to 
the  landing  of  the  entire  invading  army  on  the  coasts  of 
England ;  and  it  was  confidently  expected  that  a  single 
battle  would  decide  the  fate  of  England  and  of  Protest- 
antism forever.  Yet  Heaven  does  not  permit  a  single 
Spaniard  to  step  foot  on  English  soil — the  invaded  sus- 
tain but  slight  damage  or  loss  in  any  way,  while  in  a  very 
little  time  the  ocean  is  strewed  with  the  mangled  corpses 
of  their  proud  invaders,  and  with  the  wrecks  of  their 
noble  vessels. 

We  have  here  another  of  those  pivots  on  which  the 
destiny  of  evangelical  religion  often  turns.  In  all  human 
probability,  from  this  time  forward,  English  greatness  and 
English  influence  and  power  in  her  vast  empire  over  the 
world,  would  be  engaged  to  uphold  Rome  and  the  Inqui- 
sition— that  her  coal  and  iron,  and  her  skill,  would  forge 
chains  to  bind  immortal  mind  over  one  half  of  the  globe 
— that  her  vast  enterprise  would  be  employed  in  the  traf- 
fick  of  the  souls  of  men.  But  Heaven  had  not  so  decreed. 
The  eternal  King  had  not  yet  yielded  his  right  of  empire 
on  earth.  A  thrill  of  joy  and  thanksgiving  now  pervades 
every  resting-place  of  Protestantism  throughout  the 
world.  God  had  gotten  the  victory.  They  "  sing  unto 
the  Lord  a  new  song :  for  the  Lord  hath  done  marvelous 
things  for  them  ;  his  right  hand  and  his  holy  arm  hath 
gotten  him  the  victory."  The  well-concerted  schemes 
of  man  are  confounded,  his,  presumptuous  expectations 
disappointed,  and  the  impenetrable  decrees  of  Divine 
Providence  in  the  progress  of  his  Church,  established. 

A  Catholic  coalition  of  the  Irish  and  French  against 
England  in  1796  w^as  a  very  similar  instance  of  a  remark- 
able interposition  of  Providence  in  behalf  of  the  Re- 
formed Religion.  A  vast  conspiracy  had  been  formed  in 
Ireland  against  the  British  government.  Two  hundred 
thousand  men  were  in  readiness  for  the  revolt.  Over- 
tures were  made  to  the  French  republic  for  their  assist- 
ance, and  assurances  given  on  the  part  of  the  Irish  that 
five  hundred  thousand  fighting  men  could  be  brought  into 
the  field  on  the  arrival  of  the  French.  Hoche,  the  French 
General,  at  the  head  of  one  hundred  thousand  troops, 
burned  with  the  desire  to  gratify  his  ambition  in  humbhng 


112  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

the  ancient  foe  of  France.  With  twenty-five  thousand 
of  his  troops  he  embarked  for  Ireland,  flushed  with  the 
idea  of  a  splendid  victory.  But  not  a  Frenchman  was 
permitted  to  step  foot  in  Ireland.  "  A  violent  tempest 
arose  immediately  after  the  departure  of  the  fleet ;  one 
ship  of  the  line  struck  on  a  rock,  and  perished ;  several 
were  damaged,  and  the  fleet  totally  dispersed.  Tem- 
pestuous weather  continued  the  whole  time  the  fleet  was 
at  sea."  What  escaped  the  violence  of  the  elements  and 
the  attacks  of  the  English,  returned,  broken  and  dispirited, 
to  France.  And  the  God  of  Hosts  again  made  the  winds 
and  the  waters  his  army  by  which  to  protect  his  cause 
from  a  Romish  conspiracy,  and  to  save  from  dismember- 
ment a  great  protestant  nation,  which,  as  designed  by 
Providence,  has  been  used  more  effectually  than  any 
other  nation  to  bring  to  all  the  tribes  and  kindreds  of  the 
earth  a  knowledge  of  the  gospel.* 

5.  I  shall  pass  lightly  over  several  other  events  which 
illustrate  not  the  less  strikingly  the  same  point. 

Mary,  the  bloody  Queen  of  England,  was  a  violent 
persecutor  of  the  Protestants.  Having  brought  to  the 
block  and  the  stake  multitudes  in  England,  Scotland  and 
Wales,  she  reached  forth  her  hand  to  vex  them  of  Ireland. 
She  had  signed  a  commission  (1588,)  authorizing  the  per- 
secution and  annihilation  of  all  Irish  heretics,  which  was 
committed  for  execution  to  Dr.  Cole,  a  zealous  son  of 
Rome.  The  doctor  immediately  repairs  to  Ireland  to 
execute  the  bloody  mandate  of  the  queen.  At  Chester, 
where  he  is  to  embark,  he  communicates  to  the  mayor 
the  nature  of  his  errand  to  Ireland,  at  the  same  time 
pointing  to  a  box,  which,  to  use  his  language,  contained 
"  that  which  shall  lash  the  heretics  of  Ireland."  The  good 
woman  in  the  house  where  they  were,  (Elizabeth  Ed- 
monds,) a  friend  of  the  Protestants,  who  had  a  brother 
in  Dublin,  hearing  these  words,  was  not  a  little  troubled. 
Therefore,  watching  her  opportunity,  she  opens  the  box, 
takes  out  the  commission,  and  places  in  its  stead  a  sheet  of 
paper  in  which  she  had  carefully  wrapped  a  pack  of  cards, 
with  the  knave  of  clubs  uppermost.     Suspecting  nothing, 

•  See  Alison's  History  of  Europe. 


USURPATION    OF    CROMWELL.  113 

the  doctor,  the  wind  and  the  weather  favoring,  next  day 
set  sail  for  Dubhn.  He  immediately  appears  before  the 
lord  deputy  and  the  privy  council,  makes  his  speech,  de- 
claring the  nature  of  his  commission,  and  presents  his 
box  to  the  lord  deputy ;  which,  on  opening,  nothing  ap- 
pears but  a  pack  of  cards,  the  knave  of  clubs  staring  his 
lordship  in  the  face.  The  lord  deputy  and  council  were 
amazed,  and  the  doctor  was  confounded  ;  yet  insisted  that 
he  started  with  a  commission  such  as  he  had  declared. 
The  lord  deputy  answered :  "  Let  us  have  another  com- 
mission, and  we  will  shuffle  the  cards  in  the  mean  time." 
The  doctor,  chagrined,  returns  to  England,  appears  at 
court,  obtains  another  commission,  but  is  now  detained 
by  unfavorable  winds,  and  while  waiting,  the  queen  is 
called  to  her  dread  account.  And  thus  God  preserved 
the  Protestants  of  Ireland.*  "Behold,  he  that  keepeth 
Israel  shall  neither  slumber  nor  sleep." 

Again,  Cromwell  and  Hampden  are  unexpectedly  ar- 
rested when  on  the  eve  of  joining  the  pilgrims  in  New 
England.  This  seemed  a  calamity,  as  they  were  just 
such  men  as  the  New  World  needed.  But  their  deten- 
tion, though  involuntary,  and  seemingly  calamitous,  was, 
as  developed  in  their  future  career,  the  very  thing  which 
secured  the  libe?-ties  of  England,  dissipated  the  cloud 
which  hung  over  the  Huguenots  of  France,  and  the 
Albigenses  of  Switzerland,  and  changed  the  face  of  all 
England.f 

Other  illustrations,  no  less  apposite,  we  may  find  in  the 
detection  of  the  famous  gun-powder  plot  i?i  1605 — in  the 
uswyation  of  Oliver  Cromwell  in  1649 — in  the  English 
revolution,  which  brought  to  the  throne  of  England 
William  and  Mary  in  1688. 

In  the  first  instance  a  desperate  confederacy  had  been 
formed  by  the  adherents  of  Popery,  to  destroy,  at  one 
blow,  James  L,  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and  both  houses  of 
Parliament,  by  the  explosion  of  an  immense  quantity  of 
gun-powder,  which  had  been  concealed  for  the  purpose 
under  the  House  of    Lords.     A  Protestant  government 

*  MSS.   of  Sir  Jatnes  Ware,  copied  from  papers  of  Richard,  Earl  of  Cork— and 
found  quoted  by  Mosheim.  Vol.  II,  p.  42.     Also,  Universal  History,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  278. 
t  Dr.  Spring's  Supremacy  of  God  among  the  Nations. 

10* 


114  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

once  destroyed,  they  hoped  to  restore  the  power  of  Rome. 
But  the  hand  of  the  Lord  interposed — the  nefarious  plot 
was  providentially  discovered,*  and  Protestantism  still 
safe. 

Again  the  ark  of  God  is  in  trouble  in  the  reign  of 
Charles  I.  The  most  strenuous  efforts  are  made  to  bring 
about  a  reconciliation  between  England  and  Rome.  But 
a  civil  war  breaks  out  between  the  King  and  the  Parlia- 
ment— Oliver  Cromwell  succeeds  to  the  government,  and 
the  tide  of  Roman  domination  is  again  rolled  back.f 

And  again  the  restless  emissaries  of  Popery  combine 
to  vex  the  Church  of  God.  A  confederacy  is  formed 
between  James  II.,  of  England,  and  Louis  XIV.,  of 
France,  to  crush,  not  only  in  England,  but  in  all  Europe, 
the  already  wide-spread  heresy  of  the  German  Reformer. 
For  a  time  they  are  elated  with  high  hopes  of  success, 
and  nothing  seemed  more  probable  than  that  Protestant- 
ism would  soon  be  prostrated  in  the  dust,  if  not  annihi- 
lated. But  was  the  ark  in  peril  ?  By  the  most  unfore- 
seen incidents,  James  is  driven  from  his  throne, — a 
wretched,  forlorn  exile,  in  a  strange  land.  The  notable 
revolution  of  1688,  occurs ;  William  and  Mary,  Protes- 
tant princes,  are  called  to  the  throne  of  England ;  and 
never  before  was  the  cause  of  the  Reformation  so  firmly 
established  in  the  British  realm.  And  more  than  this : 
A  Papist  was,  by  the  constitution,  made  for  ever  after- 
wards incapable  of  sitting  on  the  throne   of  England !  J 

The  fixing  of  the  succession  to  the  English  throne,  in 
the  hands  of  Protestants,  was  itself  an  event  of  vast 
magnitude,  yet  greatly  magnified  by  other  providential 

*  By  a  letter  of  caution  sent  to  Lord  Monteagle,  that  he  should  on  a  certain  day  ab- 
sent himself  from  Parliament. 

t  The  cannon  of  Cromwell's  navies  shook  the  Vatican,  through  the  bravery  of  his 
admiral.  Blake— Gustavus.  at  another  time,  asserts  the  liberties  of  the  Protestant  North 
on  the  field  of  Lutzen.  And,  at  a  later  period,  Bonaparte  lays  his  sacrilegious  hands 
on  the  Pope  himself,  and  leads  him  away  captive,  and  makes  the  seven  hills  of  Rome 
tremble. 

t  This  dissolution  continued  in  force,  and  England  was  divorced  from  Rome,  and 
consequently  ceased  to  be  a  Papal  state,  till  the  passage  of  the  late  Cathohc  Emancipa- 
tion Bill,  (1833.)  when  the  act  of  separation  from  idolatrous  Rome  was  annulled,  and 
it  became  again  admissible  that  Popish  kings,  and  Popish  subjects,  should  again  wield 
the  political  power  of  Great  Britain.  And  here,  by  the  way,  we  may  trace  a  remarka- 
ble providence  in  the  succession  of  the  present  royal,  family  to  the'throne  of  Britain. 
The  manner  in  which  the  Protestant  branch  of  James  VI.  was  preserved  through  the 
amiable  and  pious  Princess,  Sophia  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  James  I.,  and  brought  to 
the  throne  while  the  male  and  Popish  branch  have  come  to  nought,  cannot  but  excite 
the  admiration  of  every  believer  in  an  overruling  Providence. 


PROTESTANT  SUCCESSION.  115 

events  of  the  same  period.  Death  removed  not  a  few 
of  the  fiercest  friends  of  Jacobinism  and  Popery,  without 
which,  a  Protestant  king  could  not  have  been  seated  on 
the  throne  of  England.  The  French  king,  Louis  XIV., 
died  while  he  was  yet  contemplating  an  invasion  of 
England  ;  the  Duke  of  Hamilton,  just  as  he  was  going 
to  France,  where  he  was  preparing  to  favor  Rome ; 
Queen  Anne,  "  when  the  schemes  of  the  party  were  be- 
coming mature  ;"  and  the  king  of  Sweden,  when  setting 
out  for  Norway,  to  use  his  influence  against  Britain. 

Again,  the  hand  of  God  is  seen  in  moving  the  heart  of 
Peter  the  Great,  of  Russia,  to  reform  his  people ;  to  pat- 
ronize schools  of  learning  ;  to  cause  the  Bible  to  be  trans- 
lated into  the  language  of  the  country ;  commanding  it 
to  be  kept  in  every  household,  and  read  by  all.  He  was 
the  hand  of  God  to  draw  aside  the  veil  of  ignorance 
and  superstition  which  had  so  long  clouded  the  face  of 
Russia,  and  to  let  in  light,  such  as  never  shone  there  be- 
fore, and  has  not  ceased  to  shine,  though  feebly,  ever 
since. 

The  kingdom  of  Prussia,  too,  furnishes  an  example 
how  God  so  disposes  of  temporal  power  as  to  subserve 
the  interests  of  His  church.  She  has  stood  amidst  the 
Catholic  nations  of  Europe,  as  a  rock  in  the  midst  of 
ocean's  billows  ;  far  in  advance  of  them  all,  in  the  im- 
provements of  life,  in  intellectual  advancement,  and  in 
morality  and  religion  ;  a  city  set  on  a  hill,  casting  her 
light  over  the  accumulated  darkness  of  many  generations. 
But  whence  her  pre-eminence  ?  Her  history  replies: 
Her  infancy  was  cradled  in  the  hand  of  Providence. 
Though  rudely  rocked  by  the  vandal  foot  of  a  "  seven 
years"  war  with  the  united  powers  of  Europe,  she,  the 
youngest  of  the  sisterhood  of  European  states,  soon 
attained  a  growth  and  vigor  scarcely  inferior  to  the  old- 
est. Early  in  the  fifteenth  century,  the  emperor,  Sigis- 
mond,  gave  the  Marquisate  of  Bradenburg  to  the  noble 
family  of  Hohenzollern.  This  family,  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  embraced  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation,  be- 
came possessed  of  the  Duchy  of  Prussia,  and  soon 
assumed  the  form,  and,  after  many  eventful  struggles,  in 
which  the  hand  of  God  was  abundantly  manifested,  the 


116  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

vigor  and  growth  of  an  independent  kingdom.  And  her 
present  character,  position  and  influence, — the  reUgious 
character  of  her  present  sovereign  and  of  her  national 
institutions,  afford  a  pleasing  guarantee  that  God  will 
not  disappoint  the  high  hopes  raised  by  her  protestant 
and  providential  origin,  in  making  her  the  instrument  of 
his  power  in  the  defence  of  his  truth. 

Or  we  may  quote  a  single  instance  from  the  history  of 
the  Waldenses,  so  prolific  in  providential  interpositions. 
I  refer  to  their  almost  miraculous  return  to  their  native 
valleys,  from  which  they  had  been  driven  by  the  persecu- 
tions of  Rome.  The  miserable  remnant  that  survived 
the  assault,  were  scattered  among  the  Swiss  cantons,  and 
in  Holland,  Prussia,  and  the  Protestant  states  of  Germany. 
Their  homes  had  been  peopled  with  Romanists,  and  their 
native  valleys  garrisoned  by  a  foreign  soldiery.  Several 
attempts  had  been  made  to  recover  them,  but  in  vain. 
In  1689,  Henri  Arnaud,  one  of  their  pastors,  with  incredi- 
ble skill  and  courage,  and  at  the  head  of  but  eight  hun- 
dred brave  mountaineers,  forced  his  way  back  to  the  val- 
leys, in  spite  of  an  opposing  force  of  ten  thousand  well 
disciplined  and  armed  French  troops,  and  twelve  thou- 
sand Peidmontese.  The  victories  they  gained,  the  suf- 
ferings they  endured,  the  deliverances  they  experienced, 
are  incredible  on  any  mere  human  calculations,  and  to 
be  accounted  for  only  on  the  supposition  of  a  special 
Divine  interposition. 

"  Who  but  God  inspired  a  destitute  band  of  men  wdth 
the  design  of  entering  their  country,  sw^ord  in  hand,  in 
opposition  to  their  own  prince,  and  to  the  king  of  France, 
then  the  terror  of  all  Europe  ?  Who  but  He,  conducted 
and  protected  them  in  this  enterprise,  and  finally  crowned 
it  with  success,  in  spite  of  the  vast  efibrts  of  those  pow- 
ers to  disconcert  it,  and  the  vows  of  the  Pope  and  his 
adherents  to  support  the  papal  standard,  and  to  destroy 
this  little  band  of  the  elect  ?" 

But  why  multiply  examples  ;  history  is  full  of  them. 
The  Diet  of  Augsburg,  (1530,)  closes  with  full  power 
and  determination  on  the  part  of  Rome,  to  put  down  by 
violence  the  Protestant  cause.  Rome  had  the  power, 
and  the  Imperial  arm  was  just  raised  to  execute  it.     But 


REFORMATION  IN  ENGLAND.  117 

mark  the  signal  interposition  of  Providence.  A  war 
breaks  out  with  Turkey ;  Charles  and  Francis  get  at 
loggerheads  ;  the  Duke  of  Mantua  will  not  suffer  a  gen- 
eral council  to  be  called  in  his  city.  All  these  events 
divert  vengeance  from  the  Protestants,  and  give  them 
time  for  growth  and  strength.  The  wars  of  Charles  V., 
and  Francis  L,  are  made  to  contribute  to  the  cause  of 
the  Reformation,  by  having  in  their  armies  Protestant 
soldiers,  who  propagated  the  truth  wherever  they  went. 
Not  a  few  prominent  reformers,  especially  in  Italy, 
received  their  lessons  of  reform  from  this  source.  This 
same  puissant  Emperor  Charles,  allows  a  single,  defence- 
less Monk,  (Martin  Luther,)  to  pass  unharmed, — hated 
and  doomed,  yet  so  unmolested  as  not  to  be  retarded  in 
his  great  work.  Henry  VIIL,  of  England,  a  cruel  and 
superstitious  king,  a  decided  enemy  of  the  Reformation, 
which  he  opposed  by  his  arms  and  his  pen,  executes  the 
plans  of  Providence,  by  shaking  off  the  yoke  of  Rome. 
He  did  it  to  satiate  his  voluptuousness  and  ambition. 
God  allowed  him  to  do  it,  gloriously  to  subserve  the  cause 
of  His  truth.  At  the  same  time,  Clement  VII.,  to  main- 
tain some  chimerical  rights  of  the  clergy,  by  hurling  the 
thunders  of  the  Vatican  against  Henry,  lost  all  England, 
by  the  very  means  he  adopted  to  retain  her.*  Rome 
again  thought  to  increase  the  power  of  her  church  in 
Germany,  by  the  scandalous  traffick  of  Tetzel ;  God  made 
that  traffick  the  occasion  of  the  outbreaking  of  the  pent- 
up  fires  of  Reform,  which  were  burning  and  heaving  just 
beneath  the  surface.  And  Rome  again  thought  to  smol  her 
Protestantism  in  the  blood  of  the  Inquisition ;  God 
made  the  Inquisition  a  principal  cause  of  the  Reformation 
in  the  United  Provinces.  During  the  persecution  in 
England,  under  bloody  Mary,  the  Puritans  flee  to  Geneva ; 
are  there  brought  in  contact  with  the  great  Calvin,  and 


*  On  what  n  slender  thread  the  Retormation  m  England,  at  one  period,  hung.  Henry 
VIIl.,  had  effected  a  divorce  of  Queen  Katherine,— had  exasperated  the  Pope,  who 
finally  proposed,  if  Henry  would  by  proxy  acknowledge  his  authority,  he  would  sanc- 
tion the  divorce.  Henry  consented.  The  Pope  being  informed  of  this,  delayed  to  pro- 
ceed against  Henry,  up  to  a  certain  day  named.  It  was  winter  ;  the  traveling  uncer- 
tain ;  the  messenger,  (Henry's  proxy,)  was  delayed.  A  respite  was  pleaded  for,  but 
denied  by  the  Pope  ;  and  the  cardinals,  hui-rying  t"hroui;h  Henry's  case,  decided  <\gainst 
the  divorce,  and  thus  throw  down  the  gauntlet,  which  ended  in  severing  England, 
and  the  English  church,  from  Rome.  The  next  day  the  messenger  arrived;  but  all 
was  over.    One  day  earlier,  and  England  had  remained  a  province  of  Rome. 


118  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

become  instructed  more  perfectly  in  the  great  principles 
of  the  Bible,  by  that  eminent  scholar  and  servant  of  God. 
These  were  the  principles  which  these  same  Puritans 
brought  to  New  England,  and  which  lie  at  the  foundation 
of  all  the  distinguishing  blessings  of  New  England.  But 
for  the  schooling  of  the  Puritans  for  a  time  at  Geneva, 
New  England,  and  the  religion  and  republicanism  of  New 
England,  would  have  been  another  and  an  inferior  thing. 

I  shall  name  but  one  other  instance  :  it  is  the  raising 
up,  in  the  seventeenth  century,  such  a  constellation  rf 
great  and  good  7nen,  for  the  defence  and  establishment  of 
the  truth.  In  nothing,  perhaps,  are  the  footsteps  of 
Providence  more  distinctly  marked  than  in  providing  and 
fitting  men  for  the  times.  Every  great  event,  we  see, 
has  its  master-spirit ;  every  age,  its  controlKng  genius. 
And  in  the  choice  and  preparation  of  these  controlling 
spirits,  the  Hand  of  God  is  especially  manifest.  The 
Jewish  economy  could  not  be  founded  without  an  Abra- 
ham, nor  the  nation  be  delivered  from  bondage,  and  con- 
solidated into  a  state,  and  brought  under  law,  without  a 
Moses  ;  or  conducted  into  Canaan,  and  settled  there, 
without  a  Joshua;  or  restored,  and  the  temple  re-built 
after  the  discomfiture  of  the  Babylonish  captivity,  with- 
out an  Ezra  and  Nehemiah.  There  must  be  a  Paul  to 
give  impulse,  extension  and  permanency  to  Christianity  ; 
a  Luther  to  act  as  the  ruling  spirit  of  the  Reformation  ;  a 
Cromwell,  a  Constantine,  a  Wilberforce,  a  Washington, 
to  give  impulse,  unity  and  direction  to  the  several  great 
events  in  which,  and  for  which  they  lived.  In  all  such 
instances,  there  is  indeed  a  "  multitude  of  hearts  beating, 
and  a  multitude  of  hands  employed,  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  respective  objects  ;  and  yet  there  was  not  a 
pulsation,  nor  a  movement,  but  the  ruling  spirit  animated 
and  directed  it."*  Those  great  men  were  the  primary 
agents,  raised  up  for  the  very  purpose  ;  and  we  cannot 
doubt  that  He  who  made  them  such,  made  them  in  refer- 
ence to  the  work  he  had  for  them  to  do. 

Perhaps  no  century  was  more  remarkable  in  this 
respect  than  the  seventeenth.     That  was  an  age  of  great 

'  Dr.  Sprague's  sermon  on  Dr.  Chalmers. 


PRESERVATION  OF  THE  CHURCH.  119 

men, — especially  of  great  authors,  for  the  defence  of  the 
truth.  And  the  Hand  of  God  here  appears,  especially 
in  connection  with  the  fact  that  this  century  stood  in 
special  need  of  such  authors. 

Protestantism  was  yet  young,  and  knew  not  its  strength, 
or  the  rich  and  varied  stores  on  which  it  should  feed. 
Truth  was  now  to  adorn  her  in  a  new  and  richer  dress. 
The  mine  was  to  be  opened  deeper,  and  more  of  its 
invaluable  treasures  to  be  discovered  and  brought  into 
use.  And  were  there  men  adequate  to  such  a  work  ? 
There  were  giants  in  those  days, — men  mighty  in  word 
and  in  deed.  Take  from  the  long  catalogue  the  follow- 
ing, as  specimens :  Lightfoot,  Poole,  Owen,  Bunyan, 
Baxter,  Flavel,  Calamy,  Howe,  Bishop  Burnet,  Cudworth, 
Stillingfleet,  Prideaux,  Lock,  Lloyd  and  Territin. 

Or,  as  specimens  of  profane  writers  who  essentially 
promoted  the  cause  of  Christianity  by  advancing  science 
and  learning,  we  may  take  such  men  as  Archbishop 
Usher,  Hervey,  John  Selden,  Clarendon,  Sir  Matthew 
Hale,  John  Locke  and  Robert  Boyle.* 

Indeed,  I  may  say,  in  a  word,  all  veritable  history  is 
but  an  exponent  of  Providence  ;  and  it  cannot  but  inter- 
est the  mind  of  intelligent  piety,  to  trace  the  mighty 
hand  of  God  in  all  the  changes  and  revolutions  and  inci- 
dents of  our  world's  history.  All  are  made,  beautifully, 
to  subserve  the  interests  of  the  Church  ;  all  tend  to  the 
furtherance  of  the  one  great  purpose  of  the  Divine  mind, 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  redemption  of  man. 

The  inference  forced  on  us  from  the  foregoing  is,  that 
the  preservation  of  the  church,  amidst  all  the  changes  and 
revolutions  of  nations,  and  the  stern  and  constant  opposi- 
tion of  her  enemies,  is  a  standing  providence,  which  the 
people  of  God  can  never  cease  more  and  more  to  admire. 
Often  has  the  whole  civil  authority  of  the  world  been 

_  *  Robert  Boyle  was  one  of  the  most  learned  men  of  his  a^e :  but  this  is  not  what 
immortalizes  his  name  in  the  annals  of  Christianity.  He  was  the  first  Governor  of  the 
''  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in  New  England."  He  instituted  public  lectures 
for  the  defence  o(  Christianity;  manifested  an  unquenchable  zeal  for  the  ditfuslon  of 
the  gospel  in  India  and  in  America,  and  among  the  native  Welch  and  Irish;  made 
munificent  donations  for  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  Malay,  Arabic,  Welch 
and  Irish,  and  of  Elliot's  Bible  into  the  language  of  the  Massachusetts  Indians,  and  tor 
other  religious  books  ;  and  lastly,  a  legacy  of  £  5,400  for  the  propagation  of  Christianity 
among  the  heathen.  To  his  stern  religious  principles,  he  united  the  purest  morals,  a 
rare  modesty  and  active  benevolence. 


120  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

confederated  against  her;  often  has  she  been  brought 
to  the  brink  of  ruin ;  and  often  have  great  kings  and 
mighty  kingdoms  rejoiced  over  her  supposed  complete 
overthrow ;  yet,  she  has  stood ;  she  has  weathered 
storms  the  most  violent ;  withstood  billow^s  the  most  an- 
gry, for  near  six  thousand  years.  When  Moab,  and  Am- 
mon,  and  Edom  were  mighty,  she  was  weak ;  yet  she 
lived  to  see  them  all  in  ruins.  When  Babylon  and  Nin- 
eveh towered  to  heaven  in  their  greatness  and  pride,  she 
was  as  nothing  in  their  sight ;  yet  Babylon  and  Nineveh 
fell  in  undistinguished  ruin,  but  she  rose  and  triumphed 
over  their  ashes.  The  monarchies  of  Persia,  and  Greece, 
and  Rome,  rose  and  successively  spread  themselves  over 
the  earth,  and  defied  all  human,  if  not  all  divine  power, 
to  bring  them  down  from  their  towering  height.  The 
church  was  a  thing  despised,  and  nothing  counted  of; 
yet  she  lived  and  prospered,  and  waved  the  banner  of 
her  victory  over  their  ruins ;  and  this,  too,  in  spite  of  all 
their  power,  oftentimes  employed  for  her  destruction. 
The  Christian  church,  in  her  beginning,  took  root  and 
spread  in  despite  of  all  the  civil  authority  of  the  world. 

Often  did  the  Roman  government  set  itself,  in  good 
earnest,  to  extirpate  her,  root  and  branch,  from  the  earth. 
And  under  the  tenth  and  last  persecution,  they  boasted 
that  their  design  was  accomplished ;  the  church  loas  ex- 
tinct. Yet  their  boast  is  scarcely  uttered,  before  the 
Christian  church  rises  triumphant  over  the  Roman  Em- 
pire, and  that  empire  itself  falls  to  ruin.  Again,  how 
completely  the  voice  of  piety  is  suppressed,  and  her  very 
existence  seems  annihilated  previous  to  the  Reformation 
in  the  sixteenth  century ;  yet,  soon  we  see  her  rising  in 
all  her  pristine  strength  and  glory,  and  kings  again  bow 
down  to  her,  while  the  vaunting  powers  of  Rome,  under 
imperial  auspices,  avail  nothing.  Philip  II.  of  Spain, 
Bloody  Mary  of  England,  and  Louis  XIV.  of  France,  in 
persecutions  of  exquisite  cruelty  and  unwonted  virulence, 
each,  m  turn,  raise  their  puissant  arms  to  sweep  Protest- 
antism from  the  earth.  Yet  the  church  of  God  moves 
on — through  blood,  through  fire  and  faggots,  purified,  in- 
vigorated, "enlarged,  in  proportion  to  the  madness  of  their 
folly  and  guilt.     Again,   Julian,  the  apostate,  Voltaire, 


MONARCHIES  AND  INFIDELS  OVERTHROWN.  121 

Paine,  rise  up  in  their  wrath,  to  put  down  Christianity 
single  handed.  Yet  she  heeds  their  invectives  as  the 
moon  did  the  barking  of  the  petty  cur.  She  moves  on  in 
her  majesty,  while  they  die  in  agony  and  shame,  and 
their  names  become  a  stench  in  the  whole  earth. 

Surely  the  hand  of  the  Lord  has  held  the  ark.  He  has 
conducted  it  thus  far,  and  will  not  forsake  it  now.  He 
has  reproved  kings  for  her  sake,  saying :  "  Touch  not 
mine  anointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm." 

The  Lord's  portion  is  his  people : — to  lead  them  in  a 
"  waste,  howling  wilderness  ;"  to  instruct  them  ;  to  keep 
them  as  the  apple  of  his  eye,  is  the  sleepless  care  of  the 
God  of  Jacob.  And  if,  like  the  eagle  that  "  stirreth  up  her 
nest,  fluttereth  over  her  young,  spreadeth  abroad  her 
wings,  taketh  them,  beareth  them  on  her  wings,"  the 
Lord,  sometimes,  by  the  sterner  dispensations  of  his  provi- 
dence, rouses  his  people  from  their  sloth,  and  teaches 
them  to  direct  their  reluctant  souls  heavenward,  he  is 
none  the  less  mindful  of  their  eternal  well-being. 

Let  it,  then,  be  our  chief  concern  that  we  he  reconciled 
to  God;  that  our  discordant  spirits  be  hushed  into  har- 
mony with  the  Spirit  that  controls  all  events  in  this  wide 
universe  according  to  his  sovereign  will.  And  then, 
though  his  chariot  wheels  roll  on  in  their  resistless  course, 
we  shall  not  be  crushed,  but,  drawn  by  the  sweet  influ- 
ences of  everlasting  love,  our  spirits  shall  find  rest  from 
every  sorrow,  and  rest  in  God  forever. 

11 


CHAPTER  YII 


God  in  Modern  Missions.— Their  early  history.  Benevolent  societies.  The  Mora- 
vians,— English  Baptists'  society.  Birmah  Missions.  David  Bogue  and  the  London 
Missionary  Society.  Captain  James  Wilson  and  the  South  Sea  Mission.  The  tradi- 
tion of  the  unseen  Gorf.— Success.  Destruction  of  Idols.— Gospel  brought  to  Ru- 
rutu — Aitutaki — Rarotonga — Mangaia — Navigators'  Islands. 

"  And  I  saw  another  angel  jiy  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having 
the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earthy 
and  to  every  nation^  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  peopled  Rev. 
xiv.  6. 

This  angel  is  believed  to  prefigure  the  progress  of  the 
gospel,  under  the  auspices  of  modern  missions.  The  fig- 
ure is  sublime  and  apt.  High  in  the  air,  where  his 
course  is  unobstructed  by  mountain,  lake,  sea  or  desert, 
he  moves  majestically  on,  as  if  to  extend  his  flight  around 
the  world.  Nothing  impedes  his  course.  In  trumpet 
tones  he  proclaims  pardon  to  a  rebel  world.  The  dwell- 
ers on  the  mountains  and  in  the  vales,  the  inhabitants  of 
the  isles,  hear  the  joyful  sound,  and  respond  in  heart-felt 
melody  as  they  receive  the  law  of  their  God.  The  tur- 
baned  tribes  of  India,  they  that  traverse  the  wide  wastes 
of  Africa,  or  inhabit  the  eternal  snows  of  the  poles,  wel- 
come the  glad  tidings,  and  praise  Him  who  sitteth  on  the 
throne,  and  the  adorable  Lamb.  As  the  angel  speeds 
his  flight,  encompassed  in  a  halo  of  celestial  radiance, 
and  scattering  in  his  train  the  royal  gifts  of  heaven, 
earth's  remotest  ends  echo  to  the  glad  sounds  of  salva- 
tion by  God's  dear  Son. 

Such  is  the  auspicious  event  symbolized  by  the  flight 
of  the  angel.  It  would  be  a  delightful  anticipation  to 
dwell  on  the  glory  and  felicity  of  such  a  period ;  when 
sin  shall  no  more  invade  the  peaceful  bosom  of  man ; 
tears  flow  no  more ;  men  no  longer  hate  and  devour  one 
another  ;  fraud,  oppression,  wrong,  be  knowai  no  more  : — 
righteousness  shall  reign ;  purity  and  peace  triumph,  and 
the  earth  be  full  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  But  this 
w^ould  be  to  leap  with  mighty  strides  to  that  glorious  goal 


GOD  IN  MODERN  MISSIONS.  123 

towards  which  the  lines  of  Providence  I  am  tracing  are 
all  converging.  We  must  linger  a  little  longer  in  the 
outer  court,  and  see  how  the  stately  structure  of  the  tem- 
ple is  reared. 

In  preceding  chapters,  a  variety  of  historical  events 
have  been  made  to  illustrate  the  hand  of  God  as  stretched 
out  to  extend  and  protect  his  Zion.  An  immense  pre- 
paratory work  was  doing  in  three  of  the  great  quarters 
of  the  globe.  In  America,  a  nation  of  Protestants  was 
growing  into  manhood,  and  preparing,  as  a  young  man, 
to  run  a  race ;  the  church  being  founded  on  a  more  spir- 
itual basis,  was  more  free  from  political,  social,  and  intel- 
lectual trammels  than  since  the  days  of  the  apostles.  In 
Asia,  a  great  Christian  and  protestant  empire  was  erect- 
ing in  the  very  heart  of  idolatry ;  while  in  Europe,  a 
brilliant  succession  of  events  were  transpiring,  all  tending 
to  make  room  for  the  reformed  church,  and  the  doctrines 
of  the  cross.  The  Moors  were  driven  out  of  Spain,  and 
thus  the  burning  tide  of  Mohammedanism,  which  had  so 
long  threatened  to  roll  its  fiery  floods  over  all  Europe, 
was  turned  back  on  the  deserts  of  Africa.  Queen  Mary, 
of  bloody  memory,  is  foiled  in  some  of  her  most  cruel 
devices  to  exterminate  from  her  dominions  the  religion  of 
Luther  and  of  the  cross.  The  mad  attempt  of  Philip  II. 
of  Spain,  to  bind  the  chains  of  spiritual  despotism  on  the 
half  protestant  people  of  Holland  and  the  low  countries, 
results  in  the  establishment  of  one  of  the  most  powerful 
protestant  states  in  Europe.  The  proud,  presumptuous 
attempt  of  the  same  bigoted  prince  to  subjugate  England 
to  the  yoke  of  catholic  Spain  and  the  more  galling  yoke 
of  Rome,  is  signally  frustrated  in  the  destruction  of  the 
Spanish  "Invincible  Armada."  Cromwell  and  Hampden 
are  providentially  arrested  when  on  the  eve  of  joining  the 
pilgrims  in  New  England,  and  thus  the  whole  face  of 
things  in  England  and  in  Europe  is  changed  in  reference 
to  the  reformed  church.  The  gun-powder  plot  is  discov- 
ered just  in  time  to  save  a  protestant  government  from 
being  buried  in  one  common  ruin.  The  revolution  of 
1688  brings  to  the  throne  of  England  the  protestant 
princes,  William  and  Mary,  just  in  time  to  rescue  the 
periled  cause  of  the  reformed  religion  from  the  confede- 


124  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

rated  malice  of  James  11.  and  Louis  XIV.,  who  now 
seemed  about  to  crush  it  forever.  Peter  the  Great  unex- 
pectedly becomes  the  defender  of  the  faith  in  the  Rus- 
sias ;  and  a  rare  constellation  of  great  and  good  men, 
theologians,  expositors,  controversialists,  historians,  phi- 
losophers, logicians,  orators  and  poets  rise  at  this  period, 
such  as  never  appeared  in  the  world  before,  men  mighty 
in  word  and  in  deed,  to  develop  the  doctrines  of  the  Re- 
formation and  to  defend  its  truths.  And  to  this  list  I 
may  add  the  American  and  French  Revolutions  of  the 
eighteenth  century  ;  the  one  of  which  secured  to  reformed 
Protestantism  a  free  and  a  better  soil  on  which  to  strike 
deep  her  roots  and  spread  wide  her  branches ;  and  the 
other  struck  a  heavy  blow  on  Papacy  in  Europe,  and  de- 
creed that  man  should  be  free. 

But  to  what  point  of  convergency  were  the  lines  of 
Providence  now  tending?  If  I  mistake  not,  all  these 
events  were  but  fledging  the  wings  of  the  angel  who  was 
soon  to  commence  his  flight,  preaching  the  everlasting 
gospel — preparatory  steps  to  that  system  of  eflbrts  which 
has  been  devised,  and  is  in  progress  for  the  conversion  of 
the  world  to  God. 

I  am  now  prepared  to  point  out  the  hand  of  God  in  the 
progress  of  Christianity  as  seen  in  the  origin  and  success 
of  Modern  Missions. 

The  early  history  of  missions  to  the  heathen  every 
where  bears  marks  of  providential  interposition.  We 
have  seen  how  the  ever  busy  and  wisely  guiding  Hand 
has  prepared  the  way  for  the  flight  of  the  angel.  We 
shall  now  see  how  he  was,  in  the  commencement  of  his 
flight,  borne  aloft  on  the  wings  of  the  same  never-failing, 
sleepless  Providence. 

Special  providences,  in  the  origin  of  modern  benevolent 
societies,  and  corresponding  providential  movements  in  the 
different  portions  of  the  world  where  these  associations 
are  destined  to  act,  first  challenge  our  admiration.  And 
nothing  here  is  more  remarkable  than  the  spontaneous 
and  almost  simultaneous  up-shooting  of  a  numerous  con- 
stellation of  benevolent  associations  at  this  particular 
period.  Within  the  space  of  forty  years  (1792 — 1831,) 
there   arose,  from  the  kindly  influences  of  a  preceding 


ORIGIN  AND  SUCCESS  OF  MISSIONS.  125 

age,  more  than  forty  charitable  institutions,  half  of  which 
are  missionary  institutions,  and  the  other  half  auxiliaries 
to  the  same  great  work.  Whether  or  not  we  may  be 
able  to  trace  any  striking  interpositions  of  Providence  in 
the  origin  of  particular  associations,  the  hand  of  God  is 
abundantly  manifested  in  bringing  into  existence,  at 
nearly  the  same  time,  such  a  beautiful  and  potent  array 
for  the  moral  conquest  of  the  world. 

The  whole  early  history  of  Moravian  missions,  the 
earliest  of  modern  missions,  is  a  record  of  interesting 
providences.  Two  young  Greenlanders  are  providen- 
tially brought  to  Copenhagan — come  to  the  notice  of 
the  Moravian  brethren — their  history  and  condition  is 
searched  out,  (for  true  benevolence  has  many  eyes,  and 
is  fledged  with  angels'  wings,)  and  a  mission  is  immedi- 
ately determined  upon.  Hence  the  origin  of  Moravian 
missions. 

That  a  congregation,  not  exceeding  six  hundred  per- 
sons in  all,  and  most  of  them  exiles  from  their  native  land, 
and  poor,  should  originate  the  idea  of  missions  to  Green- 
land, to  the  West  Indies,  to  Labrador,  to  America,  to  Af- 
rica, and  Asia,  is,  of  itself,  sufficiently  providential  to  en- 
list our  admiration.  But  that  they  should,  from  genera- 
tion to  generation,  amidst  incredible  hardships  and  praise- 
worthy self-denial,  sustain  these  missions,  is  still  more  to 
be  admired.  A  volume  would  scarcely  detail  the  all  but 
miraculous  interpositions  of  Providence  in  behalf  of  those 
missions.  In  the  midst  of  extraordinary  perils  by  sea  and 
by  land,  from  the  elements  and  from  savage  men,  the 
hand  of  God  was,  in  a  signal  manner,  with  those  devoted 
and  self-denying  men,  who,  for  Christ's  and  the  gospel's 
sake,  braved  the  eternal  snows  of  the  north,  or  scorched 
beneath  the  broiling  sun  of  the  equator.  Oft  did  they 
encounter  famine,  pestilence,  shipwreck,  and  distressing 
extremes  of  heat  and  cold ;  and  the  Lord  delivered  them 
out  of  them  all.  When  we  take  into  the  account  the 
fewness  of  their  number,  their  circumscribed  ability,  and 
the  humbleness  of  their  condition,  the  Moravians  stood  on 
an  enviable  pre-eminence  in  the  work  of  missions.  Here, 
emphatically,  God  ordained  strength  out  of  weakness, 
making  bare  his  own  arm,  and  showing  to  the  nations 

11* 


l26  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

that  He  can  conquer  by  the  few  or  the  many :  David 
with  his  sHng,  single-handed,  against  Goliath. 

A  better  day  was  dawning  on  the  church.  This  little 
star  which  rose  and  shed  its  placid  hght  over  the  dark 
waters  of  Paganism,  was  the  precursor  of  a  constellation 
that  should  soon  rise  and  shine  brighter  and  brighter  till 
the  whole  earth  should  be  radiant  with  their  light. 

Next  in  order  rose  the  Baptist  missionary  society  of 
England.  It  was  not  an  orphan — it  was  the  child  of 
Providence.  Its  origin  is  worthy  of  note.  An  unwonted 
spirit  of  prayer  prevails.  Knew  thought  enters  the  mind 
of  one  of  the  ministers  met  in  association  at  Nottingham, 
in  1784.  It  is  that  one  hour,  on  the  first  Monday  evening 
of  every  month,  should  be  devoted  to  prayer  for  the  revi- 
val of  religion,  and  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's  king- 
dom throughout  the  earth.  Here  commenced  the  monthly 
meeting  for  prayer ;  and  here  a  series  of  the  most  brilliant 
conquests  over  the  empire  of  darkness.  Carey,  the  pio- 
neer of  missions  to  India,  was  now  brought  to  light,  and 
the  subject  of  the  world's  conversion  began  to  be  a  topic 
of  public  discussion.  The  novel  idea  was  now  broached, 
to  form  a  society  to  send  out  a  mission  ;  and,  after  a  little 
time,  it  was  matured  and  realized,  with  a  fund  of  £l3  2^.  Qd. 
Yet  they  had  neither  experience,  nor  a  knowledge  of  any 
country  where  they  might  expect  an  open  door  for  the 
gospel ;  nor  had  they  the  men  prepared  to  go  forth  on 
this  untried  enterprise. 

But  Providence  had  devised  the  great  plan,  and  would 
now  reveal  it.  While  these  things  were  transpiring  in 
England,  a  corresponding  part  of  the  scheme  was  ma- 
turing in  India.  About  the  time  that  prayer  began  to  be 
offered  up  for  the  conversion  of  the  world,  and  the 
monthly  meeting  for  this  purpose  was  established,  a  sur- 
geon, by  the  name  of  John  Thomas,  leaves  England  for 
Calcutta.  The  Lord  stirs  up  his  heart  to  attempt  the 
spiritual  benefit  of  the  natives.  Though  unsuccessful  in 
the  attempt,  his  own  heart  becomes  interested  in  the 
things  of  religion,  and  he  was,  on  his  return  to  England, 
baptized  in  1785.  He  returns  to  India,  gains  more  knowl- 
edge of  the  country  and  the  condition  of  the  heathen,  and 
feels  more  than  ever  solicitous  for  their  spiritual  welfare. 


BAPTIST  AND  LONDON  MISSIONARY  SOCIETIES.  127 

In  him  Providence  had  provided  the  newly  organized  so- 
ciety with  just  such  a  helper  and  guide  as  they  needed. 
Thomas  being  in  London  at  the  time  referred  to,  is  at  once 
solicited  to  engage  under  the  auspices  of  the  society  in 
the  establishment  of  a  mission  in  Bengal.  And  to  what 
stately  dimensions  and  vigor^  and  beneficent  activity  this 
child  of  Providence  has  since  attained,  all  know  who  are 
acquainted  with  the  history  of  the  English  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

And  the  American  Baptist  Mission  in  Birmah  may 
claim  paternity  in  the  same  Providence.  Two  missiona- 
ries while  on  their  way  to  India,  under  the  direction  of 
the  A.  B.C.  F.  M.,  became  Baptists  ;  are  naturally  thrown, 
on  their  landing  in  Calcutta,  among  the  English  Baptist 
Mission ;  fall  under  their  auspices,  and  as  far  as  provi- 
dential interposition  and  direction  are  concerned,  may  be 
regarded  as  a  branch  of  the  English  Mission. 

Nor  can  we  but  admire  the  wonder- workings  of  Provi- 
dence as  He  wrought  in  the  minds  of  Judson  and  Rice, 
and,  by  changing  their  views  on  a  certain  Christian  nYe, 
created,  in  some  remote  spot  on  the  ocean,  the  germ  of 
the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  roused  that 
great  and  growing  denomination  to  engage  in  the  work 
of  missions  to  the  heathen,  which  they  have  since  prose- 
cuted with  much  energy  and  with  signal  success. 

But  look  from  another  point ;  the  formation  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society.  The  set  time  to  enlarge 
Zion's  boundaries  had  come.  The  angel  had  commenced 
his  flight.  Some  ten  years  after  the  formation  of  the 
Baptist  society,  (1797,)  the  Rev.  David  Bogue,  of  Gos- 
port,  visits  Bristol,  to  preach  in  one  of  Whitefield's  taber- 
nacles. But  there  was  nothing  remarkable  in  this.  He 
had  preached  there  many  times  before.  But  now,  in  the 
parlor  of  the  tabernacle  house,  he  first  broaches  the  idea 
of  uniting  Christians  of  different  denominations  in  an 
association  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  The  thought 
was  contagious — as  the  leaven  in  the  meal.  Many  a  pious 
mind  caught  the  idea.  Circulars  were  sent  out ;  ad- 
dresses made  ;  sermons  preached ;  private  conversations 
and  correspondence  maintained  ;  the  latent  spirit  of  mis- 
sions, which  had  for  ages  slept   in   the  church,  is  now 


128  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

roused  ;  a  society  is  organized  ;  funds  promptly  raised, 
and  an  auspicious  commencement  made  on  the  islands 
of  the  Pacific. 

But  we  shall  be  able  to  discern  the  finger  of  God  more 
distinctly,  if  we  allow  the  eye  to  pass  cursorily  over  some 
of  the  particular  missions  of  this  Board.  We  may,  at 
the  very  outset,  record  one  of  those  interesting  provi- 
dential interpositions  on  which  the  eye  of  confiding  piety 
delights  to  dwell.  The  first  corps  of  missionaries  were 
ready  to  embark ;  and  a  missionary  ship,  the  Duff*,  was 
ready  to  convey  them.  But  who  should  command  it  ? 
They  needed  a  skillful,  wise,  benevolent  man,  a  con- 
trolling mind,  who  should  come  to  the  aid  of  the  society 
at  this  crisis.  Such  was  Capt.  James  Wilson.  His 
eventful  life  in  the  East  Indies  had  more,  perhaps,  than 
that  of  any  man  living,  singled  him  out  as  an  object  of 
God's  peculiar  care  ;  a  chosen  vessel,  and  a  valued  in- 
strument in  his  work  among  the  Gentiles. 

The  life  of  Wilson  is  a  beautiful  illustration  of  our 
subject :  while  engaged  in  an  important  and  perilous  ser- 
vice for  the  East  India  Company  in  their  war  with 
Hyder  Ally,  he  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  French; 
escaped  from  his  prison  by  leaping  from  a  wall  forty 
feet  high ;  swam  the  Coleroon  river,  an  attempt  ac- 
counted by  the  natives  as  certain  death,  on  account  of 
the  multitude  of  alligators  which  infest  it ;  was  seized  by 
some  of  Hyder  Ally's  peons  ;  stripped ;  his  hands  tied 
behind  his  back,  and  he  barbarously  driven  to  head  quar- 
ters. From  thence,  chained  to  a  common  soldier,  he  was 
driven,  naked,  barefoot  and  wounded,  a  distance  of  five 
hundred  miles.  Loaded  with  ponderous  chains,  he  was 
now  thrown  into  a  prison,  known  as  the  Black  Hole. 
Here  he  suflfered  incredible  hardships  from  hunger,  suffo- 
cation and  excessive  heat.  Often  a  corpse  was  unchained 
from  his  arm  in  the  morning,  that  a  living  sufl^erer  might 
take  its  place.  Amid  such  accumulated  misery,  he  was 
preserved  for  twenty-two  months.  Emaciated,  naked, 
famished  and  covered  with  ulcers,  he  was  liberated. 
Yet  in  all  this,  he  acknowledged  not  the  hand  that  pre- 
served him. 

He  was  afterwards  successful  in  business,  accumula- 


PIETY  AND  BENEVOLENCE  OF  WILSON.  129 

ted  a  fortune,  and  returned  to  England  in  the  same  vessel 
in  which  Mr.  Thomas  of  the  Baptist  Mission,  (mark  the 
hand  of  God  here,)  was  passenger.  Mr.  Thomas  often 
urged  on  his  mind  the  great  truths  of  religion,  though 
apparently  to  little  effect.  Yet  the  eye  of  God  was  on 
him.  He  was  a  chosen  vessel.  Retired  from  foreign 
service  to  affluence  and  ease,  he  revelled  in  all  the  pleas- 
ures and  gratifications  which  fortune  and  friends  could 
bestow.  Yet  in  the  midst  of  his  enjoyments,  a  series  of 
the  most  interesting  incidents  became  the  means  of  his 
conversion  to  a  life  of  godliness.  He  became  an  eminent 
and  devoted  Christian.  A  magazine  falls  into  his  hands 
about  this  time,  communicating  an  incipient  plan  of  a 
mission  to  the  South  Sea  Islands.  The  suggestion  imme- 
diately arises  in  his  mind  that  here  is  work  for  him. 
Willing  to  sacrifice  the  comfort  and  ease  of  an  affluent 
and  dignified  retirement,  he  gratuitously  tenders  his  ser- 
vices in  this  new  and  benevolent  enterprise,  to  command 
the  missionary  ship.  For  gain,  he  had  braved  the  stormy 
ocean ;  he  will  do  it  again  for  Christ.  His  services  were 
accepted ;  and  the  early  history  of  the  South  Sea  Mis- 
sion is  ample  voucher  how  much,  under  God,  the  success 
of  that  enterprise  was  indebted  to  the  experience  and 
skill,  as  well  as  to  the  piety  and  benevolence  of  the  noble 
Wilson. 

He  was  raised  up,  and  by  a  rigid  course  of  discipline, 
prepared  for  just  such  an  untried  and  daring  enterprise. 
While  the  friends  of  missions  where  maturing  the  plan 
for  this  bold  expedition  on  the  one  hand,  God  was,  by  a 
singular  process,  on  the  other,  preparing  one  who  should 
take  the  command  in  an  undertaking  so  novel  and  im- 
portant. 

The  voyage  was  prosperous.  Twenty-five  laborers 
were  taken  out,  and  a  mission  established.  For  sixteen 
years  they  sow  the  precious  seed  upon  a  rock.  No  gen- 
erous soil  received  it ;  no  friendly  sun  or  fertilizing 
shower,  caused  it  to  vegetate.  They  seemed  to  labor  in 
vain.  The  heavens  over  them  are  brass,  and  the  earth 
iron.  Desolating  wars,  and  abominable,  cruel  idolaltries, 
are  the  all-absorbing  themes  of  the  natives.     But  the  day 


130  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

of  deliverance  is  at  hand — and  in  a  manner  to  show  that 
the  hand  which  wrought  it  was  the  Lord's. 

The  missionaries  are  unexpectedly  driven  from  the 
islands  by  the  fury  of  war,  and  their  fond  hopes  of  seeing 
their  labors  successful,  and  the  cross  planted  in  those 
regions  of  death,  seemed  completely  blasted.  But  this 
was  God's  time  to  loork.  When  the  field  had  been 
abandoned  to  the  ravages  of  war,  and  amidst  the  very 
desolations  of  all  their  expectations  of  success,  the  work 
of  conversion  began.  The  good  seed  of  the  word  had, 
unknown  to  the  missionaries,  taken  deep  root  in  the 
minds  of  two  domestics  who  had  been  employed  in  their 
family.  Though  "  buried  long  in  dust,"  the  eye  of  Prov- 
idence watched  it,  and  would  not  suffer  the  precious 
seed  to  be  lost.  Others  gathered  around  the^e  first  fruits, 
earnests  of  a  glorious  harvest.  The  wars  ceased  ;  the 
missionaries  returned ;  and  what  must  have  been  their 
joy  and  astonishment,  to  be  welcomed  back  by  a  large 
company  of  praying  people  !*  They  had  now  only  to 
cast  the  seed  as  profusely  as  they  could,  into  a  soil  pre- 
pared to  their  hands. 

There  is,  too,  a  beautiful  counterpart  to  this  signal 
Providence.  While  these  things  are  transpiring  at  the 
islands,  a  dark  cloud  of  discouragement  gathers  over  the 
society  at  home.  Years  of  fruitless  toil  had  elapsed,  and 
the  Directors  entertained  serious  thoughts  of  abandoning 
the  mission  altogether.  This  disheartening  resolution 
was  oveiTuled  by  the  determinate  friendship  and  muni- 
ficence of  Dr.  Haweis,  and  the  iiTetractable  attachment 
to  the  enterprise  of  the  Rev.  Matthew  Wilks.  The  mis- 
sion was  sustained.  Letters  of  encouragement  were 
written  to  the  Islands ;  and  what  is  worthy  of  remark, 
while  these  letters  were  on  their  way,  they  were  passed  by 
a  ship  conveying  to  England  not  only  the  news  of  the 
overthrow  of  Idolatry,  but  the  rejected  idols  themselves. 

Nor  should  we  here  overlook  another  Providence  in 
the  auspicious  commencement  of  this  mission.  The 
shock  of  an  earthquake  is  felt  in  Tahiti,  a  thing,  till  then, 
unknown  to  the  Tahitians.     This  creates  no  little  alarm, 

•  Williams'  Missionary  Enterprises  in  the  South  Sea  Islands. 


SUCCESS  OF  MISSIONS  IN  TAHITI.  131 

and  gives  rise  to  many  conflicting  opinions  as  to  the 
meaning  of  such  a  phenomenon.  At  length,  an  old  chief 
rehearses  to  the  people  a  tradition  which  existed  on  the 
island,  viz.  :  that  there  is  an  unseen  God,  and  that  stran- 
gers would,  at  some  period,  visit  the  island  to  tell  them 
about  this  Being.  In  his  opinion,  he  said,  the  earthquake 
was  caused  by  this  unseen  God,  and  that  the  men  who 
should  tell  them  about  him,  must  be  near  at  hand.  In  a 
few  days  a  strange  sail  is  seen  standing  into  the  bay.  It 
was  the  Duff,  Capt.  James  Wilson,  with  the  first  mission- 
aries for  Tahiti. 

The  destruction  of  their  idols  was  the  beginning  of  a 
series  of  successes  which,  for  more  than  forty  years,  have 
blessed  those  numerous  groups  of  islands,  so  that,  within 
two  thousand  miles  of  Tahiti,  the  radiating  point  of  light 
in  those  dark  seas,  there  is  not  a  single  island  which  has 
not  been  illumined  by  the  Sun  of  Righteousness.  Where 
will  you  find  a  parallel  to  this  in  all  the  annals  of 
Christianity  ? 

Instances  like  the  following  might  be  recounted  to  almost 
any  extent.  An  epidemic  prevails  on  the  island  of  Ru- 
rutu,  an  island  some  three  hundred  miles  south  of  Tahiti. 
The  superstitious  inhabitants,  believing  it  to  be  the  inflic- 
tion of  some  angry  god,  two  of  their  chiefs  determine  to 
build  each  a  large  boat,  and,  with  as  many  of  their  people 
as  could  be  conveyed,  to  commit  themselves  to  the  winds 
and  the  waves,  in  search  of  some  happier  isle.  They 
feared,  if  they  stayed,  "  being  devoured  by  the  gods."  A 
violent  storm  overtakes  them ;  one  canoe  yields  to  its 
fury,  and  nearly  the  whole  crew  perish  ;  the  other  is 
driven  about  for  three  weeks,  over  the  trackless  deep, 
they  know  not  whither,  in  the  most  pitiable  condition  for 
the  want  of  food  and  water.  But  an  unerring  hand 
guided  them.  They  were  driven  to  the  Society  Islands. 
Totally  unacquainted  with  Christianity,  or  the  comforts 
of  civilization,  these  untutored  savages  were  not  a  little 
astonished  at  the  improved  condition  of  the  Society 
Islanders.  Their  books,  schools,  temporal  comforts,  mode 
of  worship,  and  especially  the  account  they  now  heard  of 
the  true  God,  were  novel  and  astounding.  They  were 
at  once  convinced  of  the  superiority  and  the  divinity  of 


132  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

the  Christian  rehgion,  and  believed  they  had  been  con- 
ducted here  that  they  might  become  acquainted  with  a 
more  excellent  way.  They  became  immediately  inter- 
ested in  the  gospel ;  made  astonishing  proficiency  in 
learning,  and  after  a  few  months  returned  to  their  native 
isle,  accompanied,  at  their  earnest  request,  by  two  na- 
tive missionaries,  who  brought  light  into  the  land  of 
darkness. 

This  remarkable  providence  not  only  brought  to  the 
notice  of  the  mission  a  new  island,  full  of  benighted,  im- 
mortal souls,  and  was  the  first  of  a  series  of  events  which 
soon  added  this  lovely  isle  to  the  domains  of  Immanuel's 
empire,  but  in  connection  with  this,  appeared  the  first 
germ  of  the  missionary  spirit  among  the  native  converts 
of  the  South  Sea  Islands.  Freely  they  had  received,  and 
from  this  time  forward,  freely  did  they  give,  till  island 
after  island,  group  after  group,  were  encircled  in  the 
extended  arms  of  Christian  benevolence. 

The  history  of  the  South  Sea  Islands  is  a  history  of 
providential  interpositions.  Pomare,  King  of  Tahiti, 
proposed  to  his  assembled  chiefs  the  adoption  of  Chris- 
tianity and  the  destruction  of  their  idol  gods.  Many 
chiefs  strenuously  oppose.  A  powerful  chief  comes  for- 
ward, accompanied  by  his  wife.  They  cordially  second 
the  king's  proposition,  declaring  that  they  had,  for  some 
time  past,  been  contemplating  the  destruction  of  their 
own  idols.  This  state  of  mind  had  been  induced  by  the 
death  of  a  beloved  and  only  daughter.  Having  in  vain 
sought  help  from  priests  and  gods,  by  all  that  rich  sacri- 
fices and  profuse  presents  could  avail,  they  were  bitterly 
enraged  at  their  gods,  and  ready  to  cast  them  away  as 
useless.  The  scale  now  seemed  turning  in  favor  of 
Christianity ;  when  another  occurrence  threatened  more 
than  to  balance  it.  Tapua,  another  mighty  chief  and  a 
formidable  warrior,  who  had  conquered  many  islands, 
was  present  at  this  consultation,  and  threatened  by  every 
means  in  his  power  to  oppose  the  king's  proposition  to 
destroy  the  idols.  But  his  puissant  arm  was  soon  palsied, 
and  his  haughty  spirit  yielded  to  the  all-conquering  scythe 
of  death.  His  timely  removal  left  behind  no  formidable 
obstacle  to  the  destruction  of  idolatry  and  the  introduc- 


DESTRUCTION    OF    IDOLS.  133 

tion  of  Christianity.*  But  for  the  death  of  this  chief, 
Christianity,  it  is  beUeved,  could  not  have  been  in- 
troduced. 

Who  can  read  the  record  of  such  events,  and  not  dis- 
cern the  hand  of  God  ?  What  miracles  once  effected, 
may  now  be  achieved  by  the  special  interpositions  of 
Providence. 

The  introduction  of  the  gospel  at  Aitutaki,  was  similar 
to  that  of  Tahiti.  The  death  of  a  chief's  daughter  so 
incensed  the  parents  against  the  gods,  and  impaired  the 
confidence  of  the  people  in  their  aid,  that  they  immedi- 
ately abandoned  them.  There  is,  perhaps,  not  a  more 
marked  interposition  of  Providence  in  the  whole  history 
of  Christianity,  than  in  the  extensive  and  almost  simul- 
taneous movements  among  the  Pagan  nations  of  the 
Pacific  to  cast  away  their  idols  and  to  embrace  a  new 
religion. 

The  people  of  another  Island — Mangaia — brutally 
abuse  the  first  teachers  sent  them,  and  drive  them  from 
their  shores.  A  disease  breaks  out  among  them,  which 
spares  neither  age  nor  youth,  high  nor  low.  They  be- 
lieve it  to  be  the  vengeance  of  the  "  God  of  the  strangers;" 
and  from  this  time  they  received  the  missionaries  gladly, 
and  cordially  embraced  the  religion  of  the  cross. 

In  another  instance  a  native  Christian  woman  of  Tahiti 
is  providentially  cast  on  the  beautiful  but  idolatrous  Island 
of  Rarotonga.  She  speaks  freely  of  the  change  which 
Christianity  had  produced  on  her  native  island.  These 
things  came  to  the  ears  of  the  king,  and  as  a  consequence 
the  king  and  royal  household,  the  chiefs  and  people,  were 
prepared  to  receive  the  new  religion,  as  it  was  shortly 
after  introduced.  In  another  instance,  a  foul  wind  ar- 
rests the  "  Messenger  of  Peace,"  (the  name  of  the  mis- 
sionary vessel,)  which  was  bearing  Mr.  WiUiams  from 
one  island  to  another  in  his  errands  of  mercy,  and  he  is, 
much  to  his  disappointment,  and  after  contending  in  vain 
for  several  days  with  the  elements,  compelled  to  put  in  at 

*  While  the  king  was  meditating  and  proposing  to  destroy  the  idol  gods,  the  young 
man  who  kept  them  formed  the  bold  resolution  of  doing  the  deed.  A  day  is  fixed  ; 
a  pile  of  combustibles  prepared  ;  the  people  are  gathered  around,  and  the  idols  are 
brought  out  and  thrown  on  the  pile. 

12 


134  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

the  Island  of  Mangaia.  Here  had  been  gained  from  the 
moral  wastes  of  Paganism  a  beautiful  vineyard.  The 
vine  brought  out  of  Egypt  had  been  planted  here,  and  had 
taken  some  root,  and  began  to  put  forth  its  tender  branches, 
but  the  vandal  foot  of  war  was  raised  over  it,  and  but  one 
day  later  and  the  hedge  would  have  been  broken  down, 
and  that  vine  trodden  under  foot.  The  heathen  chiefs 
had  determined,  by  one  decisive  blow,  to  rid  themselves 
of  the  whole  Christian  party.  Mr.  W.,  with  two  or  three 
Christian  chiefs,  hastened  on  shore,  repaired  to  the  hostile 
chiefs,  and,  before  the  deadly  attack  of  the  morrow  came, 
the  raging  tempest  was  assuaged — the  war  prevented. 
And  the  happy  result  was  the  dissolution  of  the  league 
against  the  Christians,  and  the  removal  of  most  of  the 
heathen  to  the  Christian  settlement. 

It  is,  indeed,  a  fact  worthy  of  remark,  that  no  consider- 
able Island  in  the  South  Seas  embraced  Christianity  with- 
out a  wa?',  though  always  defensive  on  the  part  of  the 
Christians.  Providence  here  singularly  interposed,  dis- 
comfited the  heathen,  gave  the  victory  to  his  people,  and 
established  the  religion  of  the  cross. 

I  shall  adduce  but  one  illustration  more  :  It  was  long  in 
the  heart  of  the  indefatigable  Williams,  (since  murdered 
and  eaten  by  the  savages,)  to  carry  the  news  of  salvation 
to  the  Navigators'  or  Samoa  Islands.  The  reluctance  of 
his  wife  dissuaded  him  from  the  enterprise.  But  the 
thousands  of  that  interesting  group  shall  not  perish  with- 
out the  light  of  the  Gospel.  Two  or  three  years  pass, 
and  the  design  in  the  mind  of  Williams  seems  to  be  aban- 
doned. His  wife  is  brought  by  the  heavy  hand  of  God 
to  suffer  a  protracted  and  severe  illness.  She  revolves  in 
her  mind  why  the  hand  of  God  is  thus  laid  on  her,  and 
what  is  the  lesson  he  would  have  her  learn.  She  says  to 
her  husband,  "  I  freely  consent  to  your  absence  in  your 
contemplated  visit  to  the  Navigators'  Islands."  Nor  was 
the  hand  of  God  less  manifest  in  the  progress  than  in  the 
commencement  of  this  important,  and,  in  many  respects, 
hazardous  undertaking. 

They  touch  on  their  way  at  the  Island  of  Tongatabu — 
an  active  respectable  looking  native  presents  himself,  says 
he  is  a  chief  of  the  Navigators'  Islands,  and  related  to  the 


ULTIMATE  SUCCESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.        135 

most  influential  families.  His  assertions  are  corroborated ; 
and  he  desires  and  obtains  a  passage  to  his  native  islands 
in  the  mission  ship,  promising  to  do  all  in  his  power  to 
favor  the  introduction  of  the  gospel  there.  During  the 
voyage  he  informs  Mr.  Williams  that  he  need  anticipate 
but  one  formidable  obstacle  to  the  realization  of  his  wishes 
in  relation  to  the  Navigators'  Islands :  it  was  the  violent 
opposition  which  might  be  met  from  Tamafainga,  a  kind 
of  high-priest,  in  whom  it  was  said  "the  spirit  of  the 
gods  dwelt."  If  he  opposed,  all  further  attempts  would 
be  vain.  But  they  are  wafted  on  by  the  favorable  breeze, 
and  seem  soon  about  to  land  on  the  desired  spot.  But 
adverse  winds  blow,  and  a  furious  storm  drives  them  from 
their  course.  Their  sails  are  rent,  the  vessel  crippled, 
and  several  of  the  men  sick  with  influenza.  All  these 
things  seemed  against  them — why  could  they  not  have 
been  conveyed  by  that  favoring  breeze  to  the  destined 
landing?  for  they  came  on  an  errand  of  mercy,  and 
Heaven  is  not  wont  to  frown  on  such  enterprises. 

After  several  days  painful  delay  they  arrive,  and  what 
must  have  been  their  admiration  of  the  dealings  of  Pro- 
vidence, when  they  were  told  that  Tamafainga  was  dead ! 
He  was  killed  but  ten  days  before.  The  storm  had  de- 
tained them,  that  they  might  arrive  precisely  at  the  right 
time,  to  introduce  the  new  religion.  Ten  days  earlier, 
their  efforts  would  have  been  abortive  on  account  of  the 
opposition  of  the  high-priest.  A  few  days  later  his  suc- 
cessor would  have  been  appointed,  and  all  their  attempts 
equally  fruitless. 

Thus  the  gospel  was  introduced  into  those  islands  un- 
der the  most  favorable  auspices,  and  followed  by  the  most 
unprecedented  success. 

But  I  pause  for  the  present.  To  write  a  history  of 
missionary  providences  would  be  to  write  a  history  of 
missions. 

Our  subject  affords  a  delightful  assurance  of  ultimate 
success  in  all  our  well-directed  efforts  to  convert  the  world. 
We  need  only  to  recur  to  the  illustrations  already  ad- 
duced, to  convey  to  our  minds  infinite  satisfaction  that 
He  who  has  begun  the  good  work  will  carry  it  on.  He 
that  can  make  the  winds,  the  waves,  the  pestilence,  the 


136  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

fury  of  war,  his  ministers,  can  work  and  none  can  hinder. 
The  Lord  hath  sworn  and  he  cannot  go  back,  that  he  will 
give  to  his  Son  the  heathen  for  his  inheritance,  and  the 
uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  a  possession.  The  angel 
having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  to  them  that  dwell 
on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  has  begun  his  glorious 
flight.  Move  on,  thou  blessed  messenger  of  peace,  till 
earth's  remotest  bounds  shall  join  in  the  grand  jubilee  of 
the  world's  redemption. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


Modern  Missions  continued.— Henry  Obookiah  and  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Van- 
couver and  the  Council.  Dr.  Vanderkemp  and  South  Africa.  Africaner.  Hand  of 
God  in  the  Origin  of  Benevolent  Societies.    Remarkable  preservation  of  Missionaries. 

^^  And  I  sav)  another  angel  fly  in  the  midst  of  Heaven,  having 
the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  to  them  that  dwell  on  the  face  of 
the  earth.^^     Rev.  xiv.  6. 

In  the  last  chapter,  attention  was  directed  to  an  inter- 
esting period  in  the  history  of  Christianity.  We  saw  the 
angel,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach,  directing 
his  adventurous  flight  over  the  broad  Pacific,  scattering 
blessings  from  his  wings  on  the  beautiful  isles  that  sit  on 
its  bosom.  "  Truly,  the  isles  waited  for  the  law  of  their 
God."  In  not  a  few  instances,  the  people,  in  expectation 
of  the  missionary  ship,  cast  away  their  idols,  erected 
places  for  public  worship,  and  waited  for  the  coming  of  the 
"  Messenger  of  Peace."  It  is  related  that  in  several  in- 
stances, before  the  gospel  was  introduced,  though  ex- 
pected, "  they  were  known  to  assemble  at  six  o'clock  on 
Sabbath  morning,  sit  in  silence  an  hour  or  more,  and  re- 
peat this  a  second,  and  even  a  third  tim.e,  during  the  day." 

Before  leaving  this  new  and  wide  theatre  on  which 


HENRY    OBOOKIAH.  137 

God  has  of  late,  and  in  a  most  extraordinary  manner,  been 
pleased  to  display  the  riches  of  his  grace,  I  shall  recount 
yet  another  instance  of  remarkable  providential  interpo- 
sition. The  illustration  is  familiar — you  will  discern  the 
finger  of  God  in  the  tale. 

An  orphan  boy  on  one  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  of 
twelve  years  old,  is  seen  escaping  from  a  scene  of  the 
most  disgusting  carnage.  He  bears  on  his  back  an  infant 
brother  of  only  two  months  old.  They  are  pursued  ;  the 
infant  is  transfixed  with  a  spear,  while  the  lad  is  spared 
and  led  away  the  captive  of  war.  He  is  the  only  survi- 
vor of  his  family.  The  father  and  mother,  with  these 
two  boys,  had,  on  the  approach  of  the  enemy  to  their 
village,  fled  to  the  mountains ;  but  were  soon  sought  out 
and  cut  to  pieces  before  the  face  of  their  children.  Henry, 
the  surviving  boy,  remained  for  some  time  with  the  man 
whom  he  had  seen  kill  his  father  and  his  mother — is  at 
length  found  by  an  uncle,  who  takes  him  to  his  house,  and 
keeps  him  one  or  two  years.  Again  is  he,  with  his  aunt, 
a  prisoner  of  war — makes  his  escape — secretes  himself  at 
a  little  distance,  whence  he  soon  saw  his  aunt  conducted 
from  the  prison  to  a  precipice,  from  which  she  was  thrown 
headlong,  and  dashed  to  pieces.  Now  alone  in  the  world 
and  disconsolate,  he  determines  to  end  a  miserable  exist- 
ence in  the  same  way  he  had  seen  his  relative  meet  her 
tragic  death.  As  soon  as  the  enemy  disappeared  from 
the  precipice,  he  approached  to  execute  his  horrid  pur- 
pose. But  being  discovered  by  one  of  the  hostile  party, 
he  is  rescued  just  in  time  to  save  a  life  which  should  be 
the  hand  of  Providence  to  bring  life  and  immortaUty  to 
light  among  his  benighted  countrymen. 

Again  we  find  him,  by  some  means  once  m^re  restored 
to  his  uncle ;  yet  weary  of  life,  and  the  last  of  his  race, 
he  never  ceases  to  bemoan  his  parents.  In  this  state  of 
despondency  and  wretchedness,  he  conceives  the  strange 
idea  of  seeking  an  asylum  in  some  foreign  country. 

While  in  this  state  of  mind  an  American  ship  arrives. 
Young  Obookiah  was  immediately  on  board  to  seek  a 
passage  to  America.  His  uncle  refused  to  let  him  go, 
and  shut  him  up  in  his  house.     But  the  young  adventurer 

12* 


138  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

finds  means  to  escape,  and  is  again  on  board,  and  is 
allowed  to  sail. 

But  mark  the  next  link  in  the  chain.  There  is  on 
board  this  vessel  a  pious  young  man,  (Russel  Hubbard,) 
a  student  of  Yale  College,  who  becomes  a  friend  of  young 
Henry,  and  takes  much  pains  to  instruct  him  in  the  rudi- 
ments of  learning,  of  which  he  was  totally  ignorant. 

After  a  few  months  we  find  Henry  in  New  Haven. 
Wandering  about  the  college  yard,  he  attracts  the  atten- 
tion of  E.  W.  Dwight,  who,  from  this  time,  becomes  his 
friend  and  teacher — is  introduced  into  the  family  of  Dr. 
Dwight,  and  finally  comes  to  the  knowledge  of  Samuel 
J.  Mills,  who  takes  him  to  his  father's,  in  Torringford. 
Thence,  after  some  time,  he  is  transferred  to  Andover — 
becomes  a  Christian — lives  in  different  places  in  Massa- 
chusetts, Connecticut  and  New  Hampshire — every  where 
adorns  a  good  profession — manifests  a  burning  zeal  for 
the  salvation  of  his  countrymen,  and  much  solicitude  for 
the  salvation  of  all  men.  At  length  we  find  him  in  the 
mission  school  at  Cornwall — the  same  decided,  consistent 
Christian  ;  the  industrious  scholar ;  the  amiable  compan- 
ion, ever  loved  and  highly  respected. 

He  has  by  this  time  produced  a  strong  interest  in  favor 
of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  A  mission  thither  was  always 
his  fond  hope  and  the  object  of  his  unremitting  toil.  It 
was  a  much  cherished  idea  that  he  might  return,  a  mes- 
senger of  peace,  to  his  deluded  countrymen ;  and  for  this 
purpose  he  used  all  diligence  to  be  prepared.  But,  strange 
dispensation  of  Providence  !  he  is  cut  down  by  the  relent- 
less hand  of  death,  before  he  sees  one  of  his  benevolent 
schemes  for  his  native  island  executed. 

But  let  us  pause  here  and  mark  the  hand  of  God.  The 
time  of  blessed  visitation  had  come  for  the  isles  of  the  sea. 
The  English  churches  had  already  taken  of  the  spoil  of 
their  idols,  and  were  rejoicing  and  being  enriched  by 
their  conquests.  The  American  Zion  must  participate 
in  the  honor  and  profit  of  the  war.  Hence  Henry  Oboo- 
kiah,  an  obscure  boy,  without  father  or  mother,  kindred 
or  tie,  to  bind  him  to  his  native  land,  must  be  brought  to 
our  shores  ;  be  removed  from  place  to  place,  from  institu- 
tion to  institution,  everywhere  fanning  into  a  flame  the 


HIS  WIDELY  LAMENTED  DEATH.  139 

ismoking  flax  of  a  missionary  spirit,  and  giving  it  some 
definite  direction  ;  be  made  the  occasion  of  rousing  the 
slumbering  energies  of  the  church  on  behalf  of  the  heathen, 
and  of  kindling  a  spirit  of  prayer  and  benevolence  in  the 
hearts  of  God  s  people ;  and  finally,  and  principally,  his 
short  and  interesting  career,  and,  perhaps,  more  than  all, 
his  widely  lamented  death,  should  originate  and  mature  a 
scheme  of  missions  to  those  islands,  the  present  aspect  of 
which  presents  scenes  of  interest  scarcely  inferior  to  those 
of  the  apostolic  age.  Behold,  what  a  great  matter  a  little 
fire  kindleth! 

But  there  is  another  aspect  in  which  we  must  view  the 
pleasing  interposition.  While  Henry  Obookiah  was  being 
used  as  the  hand  of  Providence  in  preparing  (through  Mills 
and  Hall,  Griffin  and  Dwight,  and  others  on  whom  his  influ- 
ence bore,)  the  American  church  to  engage  in  a  plan  of 
benevolent  action,  definitely  directed  towards  the  islands 
of  the  Pacific,  there  was  a  process  transpiring  at  the 
islands  still  more  interesting,  if  possible,  and  more  strongly 
marked  as  the  handi-work  of  God.  Already  had  the  decree 
passed  for  the  destruction  of  idolatry,  and  those  islands,  too, 
were  ivaiting  for  the  law  of  their  God. 

An  incident  here  will  illustrate.  I  give  it  as  taken  from 
the  hps  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Richards  on  his  late  visit  to  this 
country.  On  the  arrival  of  our  first  company  of  mission- 
aries, a  consultation  of  the  king  and  chiefs  was  held, 
whether  they  should  be  allowed  to  remain.  Different 
opinions  were  advanced,  supported  by  as  different  reasons. 
The  second  day  of  these  deliberations  had  nearly  closed 
without  any  decisive  result.  Now  there  came  into  the 
council  the  aged  secretary  of  the  late  king,  who  had  just 
returned  from  a  neighboring  island.  He  had  long  been 
a  sort  of  chronicler  of  the  nation.  His  mind,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  written  documents,  was  a  kind  of  historical  de- 
pot. His  opinion  was  asked,  and  his  decision  determined 
the  momentous  question,  whether  the  "glad  tidings  of 
great  joy,"  which  had  then,  for  the  first  time,  reached  the 
islands,  should  be  proclaimed,  or  the  darkness  of  death 
which  then  brooded  over  them  become  darker  than  before. 

Addressing  the  young  king,  he  said  :  "  what  did  the 
late  king,  your  father,  enjoin  on  you  as  touching  these 


140  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

men  who  now  ask  your  protection  and  a  residence  among 
us  ?"  "  He  left  in  charge  nothing  concerning  these  men," 
said  the  young  king.  "  Did  he  not  repeat  to  you  what 
Vancouver  said  to  him,  as  he  looked  upon  our  gods,  and 
pitied  our  folly  ? — how  he  said  that  not  many  years  would 
elapse  before  Englishmen  would  come  and  teach  a  better 
religion,  and  that  you  must  protect  such  teachers,  and 
listen  to  them,  and  embrace  their  religion  ?  Now  they 
have  come,  and  what  would  your  father  have  you  do 
with  them  ?" 

He  resumed  his  seat ;  the  young  king  recalled  the 
charge  of  his  royal  sire,  and  this  "  little  matter"  fixed  the 
decision  that  opened  the  flood-gates  of  mercy  to  thou- 
sands of  the  most  abject  of  our  race,  and  formed  the 
commencement  of  a  successful  career  of  benevolent  ac- 
tion which  shall  not  cease  with  time.  Discern  ye  not 
the  finger  of  God  here  ? 

But  the  history  of  the  introduction  of  the  gospel  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  is  too  strikingly  illustrative  of  a  super- 
intending Providence,  to  be  passed  without  further  detail. 
Yet  the  history  of  other  missions  may  furnish  illustrations 
no  less  interesting.  We  shall  here,  at  every  step,  trace 
the  foot-prints  of  providential  interposition. 

For  some  time  previous  to  the  introduction  of  the  gos- 
pel at  those  Islands,  Providence  was  actively  preparing 
the  way  for  such  an  event.  The  Islands  were  now 
brought  to  the  notice  of  civilized  and  Christian  nations  ; 
a  few  such  men  as  Vancouver  had  visited  them  and  done 
much  to  prepare  the  native  mind  favorably  to  receive  the 
means  of  civil  and  religious  renovation,  when  they  should 
be  oflfered ;  the  conflicting  interests  of  different  chiefs 
had  been  very  much  annihilated  in  the  conquests  of 
Kamehameha,  who  had  consolidated  the  whole  group 
under  one  government,  and  thus  prepared  the  way  for  a 
national  reformation.  As  in  the  days  of  Augustus  Cesar 
and  the  advent  of  Christ,  the  clangor  of  war  was  hushed, 
and  facilities,  as  at  no  former  period,  afforded  for  the 
spread  of  the  truth.  And,  more  than  all,  a  prediction 
existed  that  the  time  drew  nigh  when  a  "  communication 
should  be  made  to  them  from  heaven  entirely  different  from 
any  thing  they  had  known^  and  that  the  tabus  of  the  coun- 


REMARKABLE  PRESERVATION  OF  KAAHUMANU.  141 

try  should  be  destroyed.''  This  singular  prediction,  the 
result,  no  doubt,  of  that  presentiment  or  general  expecta- 
tion which  is  wont  to  pervade  the  public  mind  on  the  eve 
of  some  great  national  change,  did  much  to  prepossess 
the  minds  of  the  popular  mass  to  let  go  their  idols,  and 
accept  the  gospel  when  offered.  It  was  the  dim  shadow 
of  events  yet  hid  in  the  dark  future  ;  it  was  the  still, 
small  voice  of  God,  announcing  his  purposes  of  mercy 
to  these  long-benighted  islands. 

A  few  specific  instances  will  indicate  how  God  provi- 
ded himself  with  some  of  the  chief  instruments  in  the 
late  extraordinary  work  at  the  islands,  and  how  he  re- 
moved obstacles. 

A  female  child  is  born  in  an  obscure  corner  of  the 
Island  of  Maui.  Her  parents,  who  had  once  basked  in 
the  sunshine  of  the  royal  favor,  are  now  languishing  in 
the  shades  of  neglect,  destitute  and  depressed.  Twice, 
when  an  infant,  was  she  providentially  saved  from  drown- 
ing. Wrapped  in  a  roll  of  kapa,  she  was  laid  by  her 
parents  on  the  top  of  a  double  canoe,  from  which,  as 
tossed  by  the  waves,  she  fell  into  the  sea.  The  floating 
kapa  being  discovered  in  time,  she  was  drawn  as  from  a 
watery  grave.  Again,  when  in  her  childhood,  being  near 
the  sea  with  her  mother,  she  was  caught  by  a  huge  wave, 
rolling  suddenly  in,  and  in  its  recoil  carried  her  beyond 
her  depth,  and  was  for  the  moment  given  up  for  lost. 
She  was  now  a  third  time  rescued  from  the  jaws  of  death ; 
yet  none  but  the  Great  Deliverer  knew  for  what  a  noble 
purpose. 

It  was  a  stormy  period  of  Hawaiian  history.  Her  child- 
hood was  spent  amidst  scenes  of  violence  and  blood.  A 
revolution  is  in  progress  ;  a  ferocious,  warlike  king  of 
Hawaii,  (Kamehameha,)  gains  the  dominion  of  the 
islands  ;  the  destinies  of  the  family  of  Kaahumanu,  (the 
heroine  of  my  tale,)  begin  to  rise.  Her  father  being  one 
of  the  conqueror's  chief  supporters,  she,  like  the  renowned 
Noor  Mahal,  of  oriental  memory,  is  brought  to  the  notice 
of  this  western  Mogul, — is  numbered  among  his  wives, 
— becomes  his  favorite  queen,  and  at  his  death,  as  regent, 
holds  the  kingdom  in  trust  for  his  son. 

While  a  bigoted  idolater,  proud,  haughty,  independent, 


142  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

she  gave  indications  of  possessing  the  elements  of  the 
noble  character  which  was  afterwards  exhibited  in  the 
humble,  zealous  Christian,  the  pious  Regent  and  the  en- 
lightened philanthropist. 

To  her,  principally,  was  owing  the  abolition  of  the 
tabu  system  and  of  image  worship,  and  to  her,  more  than 
to  any  other  person,  was  the  American  mission  indebted 
for  permission  to  remain  on  the  islands  after  the  expira- 
tion of  their  year's  probation,  and  for  their  success. 
While  yet  unreclaimed  from  the  bondage  of  idolatry,  her 
proud,  independent  spirit,  led  her  to  seize  the  first  oppor- 
tunity, (offered  by  the  death  of  her  late  royal  husband,) 
to  disenthrall  herself  and  the  chief  women  of  the  nation 
from  the  chains  and  degradation  of  the  tabu.  Placed 
providentially  next  the  throne,  where  she  could  speak 
with  authority,  and  supported  by  several  chief  women  of 
royal  blood,  she  boldly  asserted  the  "  rights  of  woman, 
unrestrained  by  a  lordly  husband,"  and  protested  against 
the  unreasonable  disabilities  under  which  they  had  been 
placed.  She  demanded  equal  privileges  with  men,  in  re- 
spect to  eating  and  drinking,  and  the  termination  of 
those  distinctions  and  restraints  which  were  felt  to  be 
degrading  and  oppressive. 

This  important  step  gained,  she  had  unwittingly  opened 
the  way  for  the  introduction  of  the  gospel.  She  favored 
the  plans  and  wishes  of  the  mission  from  the  first,  and 
was  an  efficient  instrument  in  its  establishment  and  in  its 
progress,  though  not  herself  brought  under  its  vital  power. 
A  withering  sickness  is  at  length  sent  upon  her,  and  she 
seems  nigh  unto  death.  The  missionaries  are  now  afford- 
ed the  opportunity  to  show  what  kindness,  sympathy  and 
hope,  the  gospel  holds  out  to  them  who  languish  and  draw 
near  to  death.  She  appreciates  their  sympathies  and 
instructions  ;  seems  deeply  impressed  ;  becomes  a  firmer 
friend  of  the  mission,  yet  is  not  converted.  A  few  years 
more  roll  away,  and  we  find  her  in  a  mission  school ;  the 
truth  is  gradually  gaining  ascendency  in  her  mind ;  she 
yields  to  its  power,  and  becomes  a  humble,  lovely,  decided, 
energetic  Christian. 

In  the  mean  time,  by  the  death  of  the  young  king,  she 
again  becomes  Regent  of  the  kingdom,  and  loses  no 


KAAHUMANU  BECOMES  A  CHRISTIAN.  143 

opportunity  to  use  her  great  influence,  whether  in  the 
formation  of  laws,  the  restraint  of  sin,  or  the  encourage- 
ment of  virtue  ;  in  the  promotion  of  education  ;  in  tours 
over  the  islands  to  foster  the  new  work  of  reform,  or  in 
her  personal  teachings  ;  and  more  than  all,  in  the  exam- 
ple of  a  pure,  unostentatious,  effective  piety,  to  hasten 
the  complete  subjugation  of  her  islands  to  the  rule  of 
Immanuel. 

I  hazard  nothing  in  saying,  if  posterity  shall  do  justice 
to  her  memory,  history  will  accord  to  Kaahumanu  a  high 
rank  as  a  ruler,  a  statesman  and  a  Christian.  She  lived 
and  reigned  in  troublous  times.  The  nation  was  just 
emerging  from  barbarism.  A  complete  revolution  was 
to  be  efiected,  from  the  throne  to  the  meanest  subject. 
The  fountains  of  the  great  deep  were  broken  up,  and  a 
new  order  of  things  was  to  be  established  in  government, 
in  morals  and  in  religion ;  and  it  is  believed  the  annals  of 
history  present  few  persons,  under  the  circumstances  in 
which  she  lived  and  reigned,  who  have  acquitted  them- 
selves better  towards  man  and  towards  God, — more 
essentially  aiding  the  progress  of  Divine  truth  and  of 
civil  liberty. 

Having  mentioned  the  death  of  the  young  king,  (Liho- 
liho,)  we  are  reminded  of  another  remarkable  providen- 
tial interposition,  without  which  all  the  awakened  ele- 
ments of  reform  might  have  been  crushed  in  the  bud. 
The  young  king  was  a  wayward,  unstable,  dissipated 
youth,  easily  led  astray  by  wicked  foreigners.  He  prom- 
ised little  as  a  Reformer  of  the  nation, — was  likely  to 
prove  a  formidable  obstacle.  But  what  a  singular  inter- 
position of  the  hand  of  God  now !  The  king  suddenly 
conceives  the  idea  of  going  to  England,  uninvited,  unan- 
nounced, and  seemingly  for  no  adequate  or  definite  pur- 
pose. The  excellent  Kaahumanu  now  becomes  Regent. 
A  few  months  elapse,  and  the  king  dies  in  England ;  and 
a  few  months  more  and  his  remains  are  brought  back  to 
the  island  in  the  frigate  Blonde,  commanded  by  the 
excellent  Lord  Byron,  (cousin  of  the  poet,)  who,  perhaps, 
fulfilled  the  most  important  mission  of  Providence  in  the 
whole  matter.  The  counsels  he  gave  to  the  chiefs  and 
people,  his  noble  bearing  towards  the  mission  and  its  ob- 


144  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

jects,  the  notoriety  and  character  he  gave  to  the  mission, 
the  rebuke  which  his  enhghtened  and  enlarged  philan- 
thropy, administered  to  the  narrow,  selfish  and  wicked 
policy  of  many  foreigners  at  the  islands,  all  conspired  to 
make  the  visit  of  the  Blonde  most  opportune  and  influen- 
tial for  good.  It  was  worth,  to  the  cause  of  moral  refor- 
mation, the  sending  into  the  Pacific  of  the  whole  British 
navy. 

The  king  being  removed,  and  certain  ill-affected  chiefs 
absent  as  a  part  of  the  king's  suite,  the  good  work  went 
on  apace.  Now  Kaahumanu,  (whose  regency  continued 
nine  years,)  aided  by  the  excellent  chief  Kalanimoku, 
who,  from  a  very  early  period  in  the  mission,  was  a 
staunch  supporter,  and  Kaumualii,  late  king  of  Kauai, 
who  had  been  as  early  and  as  heartily  enhsted  on  behalf 
of  Reform,  on  account  of  the  safe  return  of  his  son  from 
America,  and  the  kind  attentions  and  expense  bestowed 
on  him  there  to  educate  him,  (another  important  link  in 
the  providential  chain,)  set  herself  in  good  earnest  to  the 
work  of  radical  Reform  at  her  islands.  And  so  deeply 
had  its  foundations  been  laid  before  any  very  formidable 
adverse  influences  were  permitted  to  return  upon  them, 
that  they  could  not  now  be  removed  from  their  place. 

That  a  restless,  roving,  dissipated  youth,  clad  in  the 
robes  of  savage  royalty,  should  conceive  the  freak  of 
going  to  England,  made  but  a  small  ripple  on  the  waters 
of  the  great  world ;  yet  it  was  again  a  first  link  in  a  most 
interesting  series  of  events  :  a  Uttle  fire  that  kindled  a 
great  matter. 

Among  the  hostile  chiefs,  the  mission  had  not  a  more 
formidable  foe  than  Boki,  the  governor  of  Oahu.  He 
had  accompanied  the  king  to  England,  and  returned,  hav- 
ing learned  to  admire  only  the  worse  features  of  civilized 
life.  His  vacillating  course,  wishing  to  seem  to  be  carry- 
ing out  the  policy  of  the  Regency,  while  at  heart  opposed 
to  it,  his  hostility  to  the  Reforms  of  Kaahumanu,  and 
his  connivance  at  the  wicked  devices  of  certain  wicked 
foreigners,  and  his  readiness  to  aid  them  in  their  schemes 
to  evade  or  break  down  the  laws  of  the  government, 
made  him  truly  a  formidable  foe.  So  mature  did  his  hos- 
tility at  length  become,  that  he  headed  an  insurrection 


SHIPWRECK   AND  DEATH  OF  BOKI.  145 

against  the  government,  with  the  intent  to  assume  the 
reins  himself. 

But  mark  the  hand  of  God  here,  and  you  will  see  how 
he  and  many  of  his  insurrectionary  and  most  to  be  feared 
adherents,  are  put  out  of  the  way.  Nothing  is  easier 
with  Him  who  turns  the  hearts  of  men  as  the  rivers  of 
water  are  turned. 

Boki  suddenly  conceives  the  notion  of  an  expedition 
to  a  distant  island,  to  cut  sandal  wood,  hoping  thereby  to 
repair  his  dilapidated  fortunes.  Pursuing  his  prepara- 
tions on  the  Sabbath,  he  emba'ks  in  two  vessels,  with 
more  than  four  hundred  of  his  adherents,  natives  and 
foreigners,  most  of  whom  hate  the  light  which  now  for 
the  first  time  is  dawning  on  the  islands.  Never,  perhaps, 
were  two  vessels  ever  freighted  with  more  rancorous 
hostility  to  the  bands  and  cords  of  a  pure  religion. 

And  did  they  return  in  all  safety  ?  No  :  the  Eord  had 
separated  them  from  his  people,  that  he  might  destroy 
them.  When  far  out  at  sea,  a  storm  arose.  The  vessel 
in  which  Boki  embarked,  is  heard  of  no  more.  The 
other  returns  with  only  twenty  survivors,  twelve  natives 
and  eight  foreigners.  Like  Pharaoh  and  his  host,  the  sea 
opened  its  mouth  and  swallowed  them  up  alive.  Such 
was  probably  the  fate  of  the  vessel  in  which  Boki  sailed. 
The  other  was  overtaken  by  a  mortal  sickness  ;  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  died,  and  twenty  were  left  sick  on  a  dis- 
tant island. 

Thus  did  God  disarm  the  strong  man,  and  bring  to 
nought  the  devices  of  the  wicked.  His  little  church  on 
those  late  favored  islands,  is  as  the  apple  of  his  eye.  As 
of  old,  He  "  suffered  no  man  to  do  them  wrong ;  yea,  He 
reproved  kings  for  their  sake,  saying,  touch  not  mine 
anointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm." 

Were  it  needful,  a  great  variety  of  similar  instances 
might  be  adduced  ;  such  as  the  very  timely  visit  of  the 
Rev.  William  Ellis,  London  missionary  from  the  Society 
islands,  and  Messrs.  Tyerman  and  Bennet,  deputation 
from  the  London  society,  with  several  South  Sea  con- 
verts. Nothing  could  be  more  opportune  than  their 
arrival  at  this  time,  to  counsel,  encourage  and  assist  our 
mission  in  its  incipient  stages,  and  when  few  in  number, 

13 


146  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

and  of  small  resources  and  experience  ;  and  especially 
opportune  and  providential  was  the  visit  of  the  South 
Sea  converts.  They  were  not  only  living  illustrations 
of  what  the  gospel  can  do,  but  they  brought  a  report  of 
the  success  of  the  gospel  on  their  islands,  and  the  readi- 
ness of  the  chiefs  and  people  to  abandon  their  idols,  and 
embrace  Christianity,  which  was  more  influential  in  per- 
suading the  kings,  chiefs  and  people  of  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  than  the  eloquence  of  scores  of  foreign  mission- 
aries. 

Or  such  as  the  visits  to  the  islands  of  the  United  States 
sloops-of-war.  Peacock  and  Vincennes,  whose  command- 
ers and  officers,  by  their  gentlemanly  conduct  and  en- 
lightened Christian  philanthropy,  imposed  a  timely  check, 
and,  by  the  uprightness  of  their  intercourse  with  chiefs 
and  people,  administered  a  timely  and  salutary  rebuke 
on  the  waywardness  of  a  class  of  loose  and  vicious  for- 
eign residents.  And  in  nothing,  perhaps,  was  the  hand 
of  God  more  conspicuous  than  in  the  manner  in  which 
the  shameless  outrages,  from  time  to  time  committed  by 
this  same  class  of  foreigners,  such  as  ship-masters,  sailors, 
naval  officers,  v/ere  overruled  for  the  furtherance  of  the 
gospel.  Not  an  attack  was  made  on  the  mission  which 
did  not  add  character  to  the  missionaries,  give  notoriety 
and  reputation  to  the  mission  and  its  work,  and  deepen, 
in  the  minds  of  its  patrons,  the  conviction  that  a  great 
and  a  good  work  was  in  successful  progress. 

But  we  have,  perhaps,  lingered  too  long  on  those  specks 
on  the  ocean.  Our  apology  is,  that  the  arm  of  the  Lord 
is  there  wonderfully  revealed. 

We  turn  now  in  another  direction,  where  the  footsteps 
of  Providence  are  quite  as  visible  in  the  establishment  of 
another  mission.  I  refer  to  South  Africa ;  and  at  a  time 
when  her  moral  atmosphere  was  darker  than  the  ebon 
hue  of  her  people.  Scarcely  has  any  portion  of  the  hu- 
man family  been  so  debased  and  abused  as  the  South 
Africans.  And  as  the  day  of  deliverance  drew  near,  the 
bondage  of  sin  grew  more  and  more  cruel.  The  corrupt 
mass  became,  of  itself,  yearly  more  corrupt,  till  it  seemed 
that  a  few  years  more  must  have  exterrninated  a  wretched 
race  froni  the  face  of  the  earth.     They  approached  the 


MISSIONS    TO    SOUTH    AFRICA.  147 

climax  of  their  misery.  They  had  learned  that  sin  is  an 
evil  thing,  and  bitter,  yet  its  dregs  they  had  not  drunken 
till  they  were  subjected  to  the  relentless  despotism  and 
the  shameless  outrages  of  the  Dutch  boers.  They  were 
treated  as  brute  beasts — were  shot  down  in  their  hunting 
excursions  as  the  jackal  or  the  hyena.  A  daughter  of  a 
Dutch  governor  was  heard  to  boast  how  many  natives 
she  had  shot  with  her  own  hands. 

Yet  there  was  deliverance  for  the  poor  Hottentot. 
The  star  of  hope  rose  out  of  the  darkest  cloud  that  ever 
brooded  over  a  wretched  land.  Providence  was  all  this 
time  preparing  for  them  the  full  horn  of  salvation.  An 
iniquitous  government  was  filling  up  its  measure,  and 
hastening  to  its  doom ;  while  another  nation,  which 
Heaven  has  appointed  to  open  the  door  of  the  nations  to 
the  gospel,  was  ready  to  take  possession,  and  the  almoners 
of  Heaven's  mercy  were  laying  in  rich  stores  for  distri- 
bution among  the  needy  sons  of  Ham.  How  events  so 
unexpected  and  extraordinary  were  brought  to  pass,  may 
be  seen  better  from  another  point  of  observation. 

A  little  pleasure  boat  is  seen  sailing  on  the  river  Maese, 
near  Dort,  in  Holland.  It  contains  a  fine  looking,  gentle- 
manly man,  in  middle  age,  with  his  wife  and  daughter. 
They  glide  along  in  all  the  gay  luxuriance  of  a  life  of 
ease,  and,  perhaps,  never  feel  more  secure  of  life  and 
pleasure.  A  cloud  has  risen — the  sky  is  overcast — a 
squall  disturbs  the  waters  of  the  placid  stream.  The 
boat  is  upset,  and  the  wife  and  daughter  are  drowned. 
The  husband,  after  a  long  struggle  and  hair  breadth  escape 
of  death,  having  been  carried  down  the  stream  nearly  a 
mile,  is  picked  up  by  the  crew  of  a  vessel,  which,  provi- 
dentially, had  at  this  very  moment  been  loosed  from  her 
moorings. 

As  the  bereaved  father  and  disconsolate  husband  re- 
turned to  his  solitary  dwelling,  his  citizens  recognized  in 
him  Dr.  Vanderkemp,  the  gentleman  of  affluence  and 
pleasure,  who  had  come  to  spend  at  Dort  the  remainder 
of  his  days  in  literary  pursuits  and  rural  amusements. 
They  had  known  him  only  as  the  man  of  the  world,  the 
traveler,  the  scholar,  the  infidel.  Though  a  son  of  an 
excellent  Dutch  clergyman,  and  a  scholar  of  the  first 


148  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

rank  in  the  university  of  Leyden,  he  chose  the  army  as 
the  road  to  honor  and  affluence.  Here  he  served  sixteen 
years  ;  when,  unfortunately,  he  made  a  wreck  of  moral 
character  by  imbibing  principles  of  the  grossest  infidelity. 
Next,  we  find  him  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  pursu- 
ing studies  preparatory  to  the  practice  of  medicine. 
Next  honorably  and  successfully  exercising  his  profes- 
sion on  the  island  of  Zealand  ;  and,  finally,  the  retired 
gentleman  at  Dort. 

But  from  the  hour  that  God  sent  his  tempest  and  sunk 
his  little  bark,  and  buried  his  hopes  beneath  the  waves, 
and  made  the  earth  around  look  dark,  a  change  comes 
over  the  scene.  The  infidel  is  reclaimed.  The  retired 
soldier,  the  man  of  leisure,  the  scholar,  that  w^as  laying 
down  his  armor,  and  yielding  ingloriously  to- the  fascina- 
tions of  pleasure,  enlists  anew.  When  the  Great  Cap- 
tain had  need  of  another  Paul,  to  bear  his  name  to  the 
Gentiles — to  raise  the  standard  of  the  cross  in  Africa,  he 
arrested  the  proud  and  unbelieving  Vanderkemp — cut  off 
his  family  with  a  stroke — covered  his  pleasant  home  with 
desolation — loosed  his  strong  hold  on  earth,  and  then 
opened  the  way  to  him — to  his  vast  learning,  his  long  ac- 
cumulating experience  and  wisdom — his  enterprise  and 
wealth,  an  ample  field  in  South  Africa. 

On  the  ensuing  Sabbath  he  is  found  in  the  long-neg- 
lected sanctuary,  commemorating  the  death  of  our  blessed 
Lord — and  as  Christ  is  evidently  set  before  him,  cm- 
cified  and  slain  for  the  remission  of  sins,  his  heart  is  subdued 
by  the  power  of  divine  grace,  and  he  receives  the  Lamb 
of  God  as  the  great  sacrifice  and  atonement,  and  hence- 
forward he  seeks  to  do  the  will  of  his  new  master. 

About  this  time  the  London  Missionary  Society  began 
to  direct  attention  to  the  long-neglected  and  abused  con- 
tinent of  Africa.  An  address  of  that  society  reached 
Vanderkemp.  Men,  money,  influence,  learning,  experi- 
ence were  wanted  for  the  noble  enterprise.  He  had  them 
all — his  warm  heart  took  fire  :  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do  ?"  Thous^h  the  meridian  of  his  life  was 
passed,  its  remaining  suns  shall  shine  on  the  benighted 
land  of  Ham.  His  purpose  is  fixed — and  soon  the  winds 
are  wafting  him  to  the  land  of  the  Hottentots  and  the 


DR.   VANDERKEMP    AND    AFRICANER.  149 

Caffres ;  where  he  labors,  the  indefatigable  and  success- 
ful missionary,  thirteen  years. 

But  this  is  not  all :  while  an  instrumentality  is  prepar- 
ing in  Europe,  the  field  for  its  operation  is  opening  in 
Africa  :  while  young  Vanderkemp  is  cultivating  his  gigan- 
tic mind  at  the  university,  and  storing  it  with  knowledge, 
he  knew  not  why — while  for  sixteen  years  he  was  sub- 
jecting himself  to  the  hardships  of  war,  that  he  might 
"  endure  hardship  as  a  good  soldier" — or  pursuing  his  pro- 
fessional studies  at  Edinburgh — or  gaining  wisdom  and 
experience  in  professional  life,  a  corresponding  line  of 
Providence  is  discovered  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
The  power  of  the  Dutch,  who  have  long  abused  and 
humbled  the  natives,  and  done  much  to  scourge  them  into 
a  compliance  with  almost  any  change,  is  on  the  wane  ; 
and  while  the  attention  of  the  London  Missionary  Society 
is  directed  thither,  and  only  three  years  previous  to  the 
embarking  of  Dr.  Vanderkemp,  South  Africa  is  thrown 
into  the  hands  of  the  British,  and  a  wide  and  effectual 
door  opened  for  the  admission  of  the  gospel  of  peace. 
And  now,  over  those  once  sterile  regions,  where  not  a 
plant  of  virtue  could  grow,  the  Rose  of  Sharon  blooms. 
Thousands  of  once  wretched  Hottentots  sing  for  joy,  and 
the  dreary  habitations  of  the  Caffres  are  vocal  with  the 
praises  of  our  God. 

Before  quitting  this  interesting  portion  of  benevolence 
and  providential  development,  I  must  allude  at  least  to  a 
single  individual  instance.  I  refer  to  the  conversion  of 
Africaner,  the  most  formidable  and  blood-thirsty  chief 
that  ever  prowled  over  the  plains  or  hid  in  the  mountains 
of  Africa.  He  was  the  terror  of  every  tribe ;  the  trav- 
eler feared  him  more  than  all  other  dangers  that  might 
befall  him  ;  and  he  most  emphatically  breathed  out  threat- 
enings  and  slaughter  against  the  disciples  of  Christ.  He 
had  attacked  and  burnt  out  the  mission  which  had  settled 
on  his  territory,  and  dispersed  the  missionaries  under  cir- 
cumstances the  most  distressing.  But,  thanks  to  the 
power  of  sovereign  grace,  this  lion  could  be  tamed.  The 
Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  was  stronger  than  he.  His 
heart  at  length  relented.  Saul  was  among  the  prophets. 
He  received  the  missionary  into  his  kraal — listened  to  the 

13* 


150  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

message  of  redeeming  love,  and  found  it  the  power  of 
God  to  salvation.  Henceforth  he  was  gentle  as  a  lamb — 
docile  as  a  child.  And  he  became  as  famous  as  a  peace- 
maker as  he  had  been  as  a  rioter  in  blood  and  carnage. 
God  arrested  him — and  through  him  gave  the  gospel  free 
access  to  many  tribes,  and  made  him  a  nursing  father  to 
all  who  chose  the  new  and  more  excellent  way. 

Copious  extracts  might  be  taken  from  the  history  of 
modern  missions  illustrative  of  the  same  thing.  But  we 
need  not  multiply  examples.  I  have  undertaken  to  give 
only  specimens  of  the  manner  in  which  God  has  guided 
the  flight  of  the  angel — removing  out  of  his  way  every 
obstacle,  giving  success  under  the  most  untoward  circum- 
stances— making  the  wrath  of  man  praise  Him — and 
using  the  winds,  the  floods,  pestilence,  fire  and  sword,  to 
subserve  the  great  purposes  of  his  mercy  in  the  spread  of 
the  gospel. 

While  watching  the  ways  of  an  all-controlhng  Provi- 
dence in  the  progress  of  Christianity  the  last  fifty  years, 
other  items  in  this  connection  deserve  attention :  As  the 
almost  simultaneous  origin  af  modern  benevolent  societies — 
their  p'ovidential  history — and  the  remarkable  presentation 
of  their  ??Lissionaries  from  the  hand,  of  violence. 

It  is  always  interesting  to  watch  the  processes  of  Divine 
Wisdom.  His  purposes  never  fail  through  omissions, 
oversights,  or  mistakes.  One  thing  is  always  made  to 
answer  to  another.  When  he  has  opened  a  field  and 
prepared  it  for  the  seed,  he  never  fails  for  the  want  of  la- 
borers. Or  when  he  has  raised  up  and  prepared  his  labor- 
ers, his  plans  never  fail  from  a  lack  of  pecuniary  means. 
Not  only  has  he  all  hearts  in  his  hands,  but  the  silver 
and  the  gold  are  his.  In  accordance  with  the  universal 
wisdom  by  which  he  sees  from  the  beginning  to  the  end, 
and  his  universal  supremacy  over  all,  by  which,  with  in- 
finite ease,  he  accomplishes  all  his  purposes,  we  find  there 
has  sprung  into  existence  a  beautiful  sisterhood  of  benev- 
olent societies. 

Is  there  an  increasing  demand  for  the  Bible,  which  shall 
soon  grow  into  a  universal  demand  from  the  four  quarters 
of  the  earth?  There  is  a  mysterious  moving  on  the 
minds  of  a  few  pious  persons  in  London — they  meet  to 


ORIGIN    OF    BENEVOLENT    SOCIETIES.  151 

provide  means  to  give  the  Bible  to  the  poor  in  Wales — 
whence  came  the  first  feeble  cry.  Hence  a  Bible  Society. 
But  how  little  did  those  pious  few  expect  so  soon  to  be- 
come a  mighty  host — how  little  expect  their  deliberations 
would  issue  in  the  formation  of  a  Bible  society,  destined, 
with  its  collateral  streams,  to  supply  the  whole  world  with 
the  waters  of  life — in  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  to 
issue  ten  millions  of  Bibles  ;  or  since  its  formation  twenty- 
six  millions — and  in  whole  nations  supplying  every  family 
with  the  word  of  life. 

Or  have  vicissitudes  in  nations,  and  changes  in  em- 
pires opened  new  and  large  territories  for  occupancy  by 
the  gospel,  a  spirit  of  benevolence  begins  to  pervade  the 
church.  The  holy  fire,  kindled  by  some  invisible  agency, 
begins  to  burn,  and  spread  from  heart  to  heart.  And  as 
genuine  piety  is  social,  and  holy  and  benevolent  desires 
seek  the  company  of  their  kindred,  a  holy  confederacy 
springs  into  existence  to  meet  the  new  demand.  Hence 
a  missionary  society.  Providence  created  the  demand — 
and  the  same  unerring  councillor  and  unfailing  executor, 
furnishes  the  corresponding  supply.  And  hence,  too, 
tract,  education,  and  home  missionary  societies,  and  all 
those  combinations  of  holy  and  benevolent  energies,  the 
objects  of  which  are  to  carry  forward,  in  their  respective 
departments  at  home  and  abroad,  the  evangelization  of 
the  world.  They  are  the  legitimate  oftspring  of  Provi- 
dence, begotten  in  the  council  chamber  of  eternity,  and 
brought  into  existence  nearly  at  the  same  time,  and  at 
the  identical  moment  when  the  wheels  of  Providence,  in 
their  sure  and  irresistible  revolution  among  the  nations, 
had  arrived  at  a  point  where  such  instrumentalities  could 
be  used. 

I  have  already  alluded  to  the  providential  origin  of  be- 
nevolent societies. — It  is  enough  that  they  rose  into  being 
at  ijrecisely  the  right  time,  and  at  the  bidding  of  Him  who 
spake  and  it  ivas  done.  "  It  is  remarkable,  says  a  late 
British  writer,"  (Rev.  Mr.  Thorp,)  "  that  these  noble  in- 
stitutions of  Christian  benevolence  originated  at  the  mo- 
mentous crisis  when  the  pagan  kingdoms  begun  to  shake 
under  the  visitations  of  Divine  wrath.  It  was  amidst  the 
rage  and  madness  of  atheism — amidst  the  horrors  and 


152  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

chaos  of  anarchy  and  revolution,  that  these  societies  rose 
with  placid  dignity ;  conibining,  as  they  rose,  the  wealth, 
the  talent,  the  influence,  and  the  energies  of  myriads  of 
Christians,  in  various  nations,  and  all  denominations,  in 
one  general  effort  to  rescue  the  heathen  world  from  the 
bondage  of  corruption.  Verily,  the  finger  of  God  is  here. 
It  is  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvelous  in  our  sight." 

And  there  is  much  in  the  progi'essive,  providential  his- 
tory of  these  societies,  which  merits  a  passing  notice 
here.  Take  the  Chui'ch  Missionary  Society  of  England, 
and  in  reference  to  a  single  particular,  viz :  an  increase 
oi  funds  to  suit  every  exigency,  and  we  shall  see  it. 
Items  like  the  following  are  recorded  in  her  history  :  In 
the  fourteenth  year  of  the  society's  existence,  her  funds 
rose  from  sixteen  thousand  dollars  to  fifty-two  thousand. 
That  was  the  year  the  East  India  Bill  passed,  which  laid 
open  to  the  benevolent  efforts  of  British  Christians  the 
one  hundred  millions  of  Hindoostan.  In  her  twenty- 
seventh  year,  her  funds  rose  from  two  hundred  and  four 
thousand  dollars  to  two  hundred  and  thirty-five  thousand. 
This  was  the  year  of  jubilee  in  the  West  Indies,  when  a 
new  and  effectual  door  was  opened  to  the  society  by  the 
act  of  emancipation.  Again,  in  1838,  her  funds  rose  from 
three  hundred  and  forty-seven  thousand  dollars  to  four 
hundred  and  four  thousand.  It  was  in  this  year  that  the 
spirit  was  poured  out  from  on  high,  upon  the  province  of 
Krishnug]ia7%  and  an  unwonted  demand  made  for  laborers 
in  this  newly  opened  vineyard.  Thirty  or  forty  villages 
almost  immediately  embraced  Christianity ;  which  num- 
ber has  since  been  doubled,  and  some  four  thousand  na- 
tives numbered  as  converts. 

God  provides  for  every  exigency.  We  should  not 
soon  find  an  end  of  quoting  providential  interpositions  in 
the  history  of  benevolent  societies. 

There  is  one  point  more :  the  remarkable  preservation 
of  missionaries.  It  must  have  arrested  the  attention  of 
even  the  casual  observer,  that  this  class  of  men  have  been 
peculiarly  under  the  protecting  hand  of  Heaven.  How 
various  have  been  the  vicissitudes  of  their  lives,  yet  how 
few  their  casualties.  By  sea  and  by  land,  they  have 
been  subjected  to  all  sorts  of  perils.     Their  dwelling-place 


PRESERVATION   OF  MISSIONARIES.  153 

has  often  been  among  robbers,  and  generally  among 
savage  men,  and  in  barbarous  climes.  In  the  missionary 
enterprise  it  is  no  unfrequent  occmTence  that  expeditions 
are  undertaken  by  a  few  defenceless  men,  in  the  face  of 
hostile  and  despotic  governments,  and  in  despite  of  dan- 
gers from  climate,  wild  beasts,  deserts,  rivers,  or  human 
foes,  which,  to  the  eye  that  sees  not  the  protecting  Hand, 
seems  incredible  and  presumptuous.  Yet  how  very  few 
have  fallen  by  violence.  Of  the  thousands  that  have  rode 
on  the  angry  billows,  or  dwelt  in  the  midst  of  thick  perils, 
few  have  made  their  grave  in  the  deep,  or  come  to  an 
untimely  end. 

Remarkable  preservations  stand  on  the  records  of  the 
flight  of  the  "  angel  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to 
preach."  God  has  kept  his  embassadors  to  the  Gentiles, 
as  the  apple  of  his  eye.  It  is  enough  that  I  adduce  a  few 
instances  as  specimens : 

To  pass  over  the  many  exceedingly  interesting  inci- 
dents in  the  lives  of  the  early  missionaries  to  the  North 
American  Indians,  in  which  the  most  barbarous  plots  for 
their  lives  were  frustrated,  and  the  most  inveterate  hos- 
tility of  priests  and  chiefs,  disarmed  the  moment  it  seemed 
just  about  to  burst  on  the  heads  of  the  missionaries  ;  and, 
also,  instances  not  a  few  in  the  early  history  of  Moravian 
missions,  in  which  they  escaped  death  so  narrowly ;  or, 
as  they  seemed  inclined  to  believe,  so  miraculously,  as  to 
induce  the  belief  among  them,  that  they  did  experience 
the  literal  fulfillment  of  the  promise  :  "  They  shall  take  up 
serpents,  and  if  they  drink  any  deadly  thing,  it  shall  not 
hurt  them  :"  I  will  quote  from  the  records  of  providential 
preservation,  the  following :  "  Irritated  by  the  unwel- 
come restraints  of  Christianity,  several  dissolute  young 
men,  on  one  of  the  South  Sea  islands,  determined  on  the 
assassination  of  Mr.  Williams  and  his  colleagues.  The 
time  fixed  to  strike  the  first  horrid  blow  was  when  Mr. 
W.  should  be  on  his  way  to  a  neighboring  island,  in  the 
regular  discharge  of  his  official  duties.  To  make  sure 
their  opportunity,  four  of  the  conspirators  volunteered 
their  services  to  convey  him  thither.  His  fate  seemed 
inevitable.  The  hour  for  starting  had  arrived,  when  Mr. 
W.  discovered  that  his  boat  was  wholly  unfit  for  the  sea, 


154  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

and  the  voyage,  much  to  his  regret,  was  abandoned. 
But  the  assassins  did  not  abandon  their  murderous  design 
so.  On  the  following  day  he  was  again  saved,  by  the 
providential  interposition  of  a  friend,  from  the  execution 
of  a  plot  which  had  been  laid  to  murder  him  in  his  own 
house.  Again  and  again  did  he  escape  death,  the  fatally 
aimed  dart  being  warded  off  by  an  unseen  hand." 

The  South  Africa  mission  abounds  in  such  incidents  : 
a  ruffian  raises  a  dagger  to  plunge  it  in  the  heart  of  Mr. 
Kramar.  Providentially  a  little  girl  is  standing  by,  who 
wards  off  the  blow.  Again,  an  abandoned  wretch  forms 
the  murderous  design  of  cutting  off  the  whole  mission — 
missionaries,  teachers,  church  and  people,  by  throwing 
poison  into  their  well.  But  the  Keeper  of  .Israel,  who 
never  slumbers  nor  sleeps,  had  again  set  a  child  to  watch, 
and  warn  his  chosen  ones  of  harm.  Her  timely  notice 
saved  the  mission,  and  brought  the  culprit  to  condign 
punishment. 

Again,  a  party  of  Bushmen  lay  in  ambush  near  the 
house  of  Mr.  Kicherer,  and  were  preparing  to  discharge 
a  volley  of  poisoned  arrows  at  him,  as  he  sat  near  an  open 
window  ;  but  the  same  little  girl  that  saved  the  life  of  Mr. 
Kramar  was  near  to  act  as  the  mouth  of  God,  to  give  the 
timely  warning,  and,  as  the  hand  of  Providence,  to  rescue 
his  servant  from  a  premature  death.  And  in  another 
case,  a  criminal,  having  escaped  from  prison  at  the  Cape, 
and  insinuated  himself  into  the  family  of  Mr.  K.,  formed 
the  murderous  design  of  assassinating  his  host,  and  moving 
off  with  his  cattle  and  goods  to  some  remote  horde.  But 
as  the  villain  enters  the  room  to  strike  the  deadly  blow, 
Mr,  K.  is  roused  as  by  an  unseen  hand,  and,  in  his  terror, 
put  to  flight  the  murderer. 

Read  the  whole  history  of  missions,  and  you  will  find 
on  almost  every  page,  a  record  of  some  kindly  interposi- 
tion of  the  Divine  Hand  in  the  preservation  of  his  chosen 
vessels,  to  bear  his  name  among  the  Gentiles.  We  might 
call  up  such  examples  as  Judson,  Hough  and  Wade, 
amidst  the  mad  Birmese,  waiting  but  a  signal  to  execute 
the  bloody  mandate  of  the  king.  The  signal  is  given — 
which  was  the  roar  of  British  cannon ;  yet  the  execu- 
tioners, petrified  with  fear,  cannot  perform  their  bloody 


PRESERVATION   OF  MISSIONARIES.  155 

mission,  and  the  missionaries  live  ;  or  such  examples  as 
those  of  Bingham,  Richards,  and  others  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  v^hen  ferociously  attacked  by  infuriated  gangs  of 
seamen. 

The  idea  of  a  special  interposition  here,  is  strikingly 
illustrated  by  a  statement  recently  made  by  one  of  the 
Secretaries  of  the  American  Board. 

"  From  the  organization  of  the  American  Board  of 
Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions,  in  September,  1810, 
to  the  death  of  Dr.  Armstrong,  the  number  of  outward 
and  home  voyages,  between  the  United  States  and 
foreign  lands,  made  by  persons  in  the  employment  of  the 
Board,  excluding  twenty-seven,  of  whose  completion 
intelligence  has  not  yet  been  received,  is  seven  hundred 
and  four.  These  voyages  have  been  made  by  four  hun- 
dred and  ninety-six  persons,  male  and  female,  not  in- 
cluding twelve  now  on  their  way  to  foreign  lands  for  the 
first  time.  Of  these  voyages  actually  completed,  four 
hundred  and  sixty-seven  have  each  been  from  fifteen  to 
eighteen  thousand  miles  in  length.  If  those  voyages  along 
the  coast  of  the  United  States,  on  the  great  lakes,  and  on 
the  western  rivers,  and  those  from  one  port  to  another  in 
foreign  countries,  varying  from  five  hundred  to  three 
thousand  miles  each,  are  included,  and  to  them  are  added 
the  voyages  made  by  the  children  of  missionaries,  the 
whole  number  of  voyages  will  exceed  one  thousand  ; 
besides  many  shorter  trips  on  seas,  rivers  and  lakes.  In 
all  these,  no  individual  connected  with  the  Board  has 
been  shipwrecked,  or  has  lost  his  life  by  drowning. 

The  number  of  ordained  missionaries  sent  out  by  the 
Board,  is  two  hundred  and  fifty-three  ;  physicians,  twenty ; 
other  male  assistants,  one  hundred  and  twenty-two ; 
and  females,  four  hundred  and  fifty-seven  ;  in  all,  eight 
hundred  and  fifty-two ;  none  of  whom,  so  far  as  informa- 
tion has  been  received,  have  lost  their  lives,  or  been 
seriously  injured,  in  their  journeyings  to  or  from  their 
fields  of  labor,  by  land  or  water.  Three — Messrs.  Mun- 
son  and  Lyman,  in  Sumatra,  and  Doct.  Satterlee,  west  of 
the  Pawnee  country — lost  their  lives  by  savage  violence, 
while  on  exploring  tours ;  and  Rev.  Mr.  Benham,  of  the 
Siam  mission,  was  drowned  while  crossing  a  river  near 


156  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

his  own  house.  With  these  exceptions,  all  the  explora- 
tions and  other  journey ings  of  these  eight  hundred  and 
fifty-two  missionary  laborers  have  been,  so  far  as  can 
now  be  called  to  mind,  without  loss  of  life  or  serious 
accident. 

Going  back  to  the  commencement  of  the  operations  of 
the  Board,  none  of  its  treasurers,  secretaries  or  agents, 
amounting  to  about  fifty  persons  in  all,  have,  in  their 
various  and  extended  journeyings  by  land  and  water,  and 
in  the  almost  pathless  wilderness  on  the  western  frontiers 
and  the  contiguous  Indian  countries,  met  with  any  serious 
accident  or  calamity,  till  Dr.  Armstrong  perished  in  the 
wreck  of  the  steamer  Atlantic." 

In  conclusion,  a  single  inference  urges  itself  on  our 
attention.  It  is  this  :  God's  tejider  regard  and  watchful 
care  over  his  own  cause.  This  cause  is  as  the  apple  of 
his  eye.  No  weapon  raised  against  it  has  ever  pros- 
pered. Not  one  jot  or  tittle  of  all  he  has  said  can  fail ; 
not  one  purpose  be  left  unfulfilled.  Has  He  said  he  will 
give  the  kingdom  to  his  Son,  and  shall  he  not  bring  it  to 
pass  ?  Nothing  can  oppose  his  will ;  nothing  hinder  his 
arm  once  made  bare  to  carry  out  his  purposes.  With 
what  unwavering  confidence,  then,  we  may  trust  in  God. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Hand  op  God  in  facilities  and  resources  by  which  to  spread  Christianity.  The  supreni- 
acy  of  England  and  America :  prevalence  of  the  English  language,  and  European 
manners,  habits  and  dress.  Modern  improvements ;  facilities  for  locomotion.  Isth- 
mus of  Suez  and  Darien.    Commercial  relations.    Post-Office. 

^^Behold,  I  vnll  do  a  new  thing ;   I  will  even  make  a  way  in  the 
wilderness  J  and  rivers  in  the  desert  H' — Isaiah,  xliii,  19. 

Nothing  more  interests  the  pious  mind  than  to  trace 
the  footsteps  of  Providence  in  the  progress  of  evangelical 


ALL  OPPOSITION   VAIN.  157 

truth.  It  invigorates  our  faith ;  fires  our  zeal ;  gives 
strength  and  reality  to  our  hopes,  and  infuses  new  vigor 
into  our  efforts.  We  are  looking  for  the  day  as  not 
distant,  when  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  become 
the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ.  The  Pro- 
prietor and  Governor  of  this  world  is  soon  to  take  posses- 
sion of  his  own  ;  to  wrest  it  from  the  hands  of  the  usurper, 
and  give  it  to  the  saints  of  the  Most  High.  Already  we 
discern  tokens  of  such  an  event ;  providential  dispensa- 
tions, preparing  the  way,  removing  obstacles,  gathering 
resources,  providing  men  and  materials ;  multiplying 
facilities,  till  we  already  begin  to  speak  with  confidence 
that  the  day  of  Christianity's  triumph  is  near. 

Beautifully  have  all  things,  from  the  beginning,  been 
brought  into  subserviency  to  this  end.  "  Political  changes 
and  state  revolutions ;  war  and  peace  ;  victory  and  de- 
feat ;  plenty  and  famine  ;  the  wisdom  of  the  wise  and  the 
imbecility  of  the  weak  ;  the  virtues  and  the  vices  of  man- 
kind, and  all  the  minute  or  mighty  movements  of  man, 
are  under  the  control  of  an  invisible  and  Almighty  hand, 
which,  without  breaking  in  upon  the  established  laws  of 
nature,  or  intrenching  on  the  freedom  of  human  actions, 
makes  them  all  subservient  to  the  purposes  of  his  infinite 
wisdom  and  perfection,"  in  the  progress  of  the  great  work 
of  human  redemption.  Here  all  opposition,  however 
skillfully  concerted,  is  unavailing.  No  weapon  ever 
formed  against  truth  has  prospered.  Its  victories  have 
been  as  certain  as  they  have  been  triumphant  and  glo- 
rious. Apparent  defeats  are  final,  and  oftentimes  illus- 
trious victories.  The  rage  of  persecution  is  either  re- 
strained, or  overruled  for  good.  However  furiously  the 
troubled  waters  have  beat  against  the  ark  of  the  true 
Israel ;  however  madly  dashed  on  the  Rock  of  our  salva- 
tion, that  ark — that  rock,  has  remained  immovable  as  the 
everlasting  hills.  He  that  walketh  on  the  waves  of  the 
sea,  hath  said  to  their  proud  billows,  "peace,  be  still." 
He  fulfilleth  all  his  purposes  ;  he  executeth  all  his  will. 
He  maketh  a  way  in  the  wilderness,  and  rivers  in  the 
desert. 

In  preceding  chapters  I  have  shown  how  God  has 
done  this,  in  carrying  forward  the  cause  of  Christianity 

14 


158  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

in  different  periods  of  its  progress.  In  the  last  two,  I 
gave  a  practical  view,  at  least,  of  the  hand  of  God  in  the 
enterprise  of  modern  missions.  In  continuation  of  the 
main  subject,  three  topics  remain  to  be  discussed  : 

I.  The  hand  of  God  as  seen  in  the  facilities  which 
the  present  state  of  the  world,  and  the  present  condition 
of  man,  afford  to  the  speedy  and  universal  spread  of  the 
gospel. 

II.  The  present  aspect  of  the  world  as  a  field  open  for 
the  reception  of  the  gospel. 

III.  The  duty  of  Christians  in  regard  to  the  world's 
conversion. 

My  purpose,  in  the  discussion  of  these  points,  is  to  de- 
lineate, as  accurately  as  possible,  the  present  aspect  of  the 
great  field,  which,  as  disciples  of  Christ,  we  are  com- 
manded immediately  to  evangelize.  I  may,  from  the 
fluctuating  character  of  the  records,  make  the  picture 
more  or  less  accurate,  but,  I  trust,  sufficiently  accurate  to 
supply  motives  of  much  encouragement  to  our  "  labors 
of  love"  to  a  dying  world,  and  which  shall  exalt  the  God 
of  our  salvation. 

I.  The  hand  of  God  as  seen  in  the  facilities  which 
the  present  state  of  the  world,  and  the  present  condition 
of  man,  afford  to  the  speedy  and  universal  spread  of  the 
gospel. 

I  should  occupy  too  much  space  were  I  to  attempt,  on 
so  fruitful  a  topic,  to  draw  a  complete  picture ;  yet  I 
should  do  injustice  to  the  general  subject,  were  I  to  be 
too  brief  The  following  particulars  will  furnish  ample 
illustration  : 

1.  The  univonted  acquisition  of  power  and  tenitory,  hy 
Christian  nations,  furnishes  extraordinary  facilities  for  the 
universal  diffusion  of  the  gospel.  The  disposition  of  na- 
tions is  purely  providential.  God  alone  setteth  up  one, 
and  putteth  down  another.  As  king' of  nations  He  has, 
at  the  present  time,  and  for  purposes  we  can  scarcely 
mistake,  given  an  almost  unlimited  supremacy  to  the  two 
most  enlightened  and  Christian  nations.  England  and 
America  give  laws  to  the  world  ;  rather,  I  will  say,  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race  are  extending  an  all-controlling  influ- 
ence over  nearly  the  entire  earth.     Where  will  you  fix 


ANGLO-SAXONDOM.  159 

the  limits  of  English  power,  or  where  bound  the  influ- 
ence of  them  who  speak  the  English  language  ?  Will 
you  circumscribe  it  within  the  vast  boundaries  of  the 
ancient  Roman  empire  ?  Will  you  fix  on  the  Indus  or 
the  Ganges  as  its  eastern  boundary,  or  on  the  Mississippi 
as  its  western  ?  You  will  have  circumnavigated  the 
globe  before  you  will  have  found  the  goal  beyond  which 
Anglo-Saxon  power  and  influence  do  not  reach.  Trav- 
erse the  earth  from  pole  to  pole,  and  you  can  scarcely 
point  out  the  spot  where  you  may  not  trace  the  footsteps  of 
Anglo-Saxon  skill,  improvement,  civilization  and  religion. 
The  sun,  in  his  diurnal  journey,  never  ceases  to  look 
down  on  some  portion  of  the  British  empire.  And, 
though  the  territorial  possessions  of  the  United  States  are 
much  less  than  those  of  Great  Britain,  her  moral  influ- 
ence on  the  world  may  not  be  less  ;  at  least  the  inference 
is  fair  that  it  is  destined  not  to  be  less. 

Nor  has  the  empire  of  the  Anglo  Saxons  yet  found  a 
limit.  Her  sons  in  America  are  stretching  themselves 
over  a  vast  continent.  They  are  planting  the  institu- 
tions of  freedom,  and  displaying  the  improvements  of 
civilization,  and  diffusing  the  benign  influences  of  religion 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  While  England,  on  the 
other  hand,  is  pushing  her  conquests,  either  directly  by 
war,  or  more  laudably  by  negotiation  and  treaty,  by  colo- 
nies, by  commerce,  or  otherwise,  into  almost  every  part 
of  the  habitable  globe.  She  is  enlarging  her  borders  in 
western  and  central  Asia.  She  dictates  terms  of  peace 
and  Avar  in  Syria,  Cabool,  or  Afghanistan.  She  sits  an 
arbiter  among  the  nations.  If  she  turn  her  victorious 
arm  against  the  "  Celestial  Empire,"  a  way  is  prepared 
before  her.  Every  valley  is  exalted,  every  hill  made  low. 
Nothing  can  withstand  the  power  of  her  arm,  for  Heaven 
has  nerved  it,  till  the  purposes  of  His  wisdom  and  His 
grace  be  accomplished.  She  reaches  out  her  sceptre,  too, 
over  numerous  and  distant  islands  of  the  sea,  and  gives 
laws  to  more  of  the  human  race  than  were  known  to 
exist  on  the  whole  face  of  the  earth  in  the  proudest  days 
of  the  Roman  empire.  Africa,  too,  on  almost  every  side, 
is  beginning  to  feel  the  benign  sway  of  English  power. 
In  the  south,  on  the  east  and  west,  that  ill-fated  continent. 


160  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

SO  long  the  abode  of  ignorance,  cruelty  and  superstition, 
— so  long  the  subject  of  outrages  which  disgrace  the  page 
of  man's  history,  is  begirt  with  those  same  Anglo-Saxon 
influences,  which  ere  long  shall  be  to  her  as  the  cloud 
•that  interposed  between  Israel  and  her  pursuers, — a  cloud 
of  darkness  and  confusion  to  them  who  would,  with  hands 
of  robbery  and  blood,  invade  the  peaceful  dwellings  of 
the  sons  of  Ham,  and  bring  them  to  a  bondage  more 
cruel  than  death,  but  a  luminous  cloud  to  them  who  will 
receive  from  the  hands  of  the  white  man  the  light  of  reli- 
gion and  science,  of  the  arts  and  civilization. 

Whatever  may  be  said  of  English  ambition,  or  of  her 
pride,  avarice  or  oppression, — or  whatever  opinion  the 
political  moralist  may  form  of  the  justness  of  many  of 
her  negotiations  (which  are  little  else  than  terms  dictated 
by  a  stronger  to  a  weaker  power,)  one  thing  is  undeniable ; 
wherever  English  power  is  felt,  there  the  arm  of  protec- 
tion and  assistance  is  extended  to  the  missionary.  No 
sooner  is  the  roar  of  British  cannon  heard  off*  the  coast 
of  Birmah,  or  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  than  the  cap- 
tured missionaries  are  set  Ji'ee,  and  allowed  to  return  to 
their  work.* 

This  is  all  our  present  subject  demands.  Wherever 
the  British  flag  waves,  the  messenger  of  peace  and  par- 
don may  pursue  his  work  unmolested  ;  traverse  the  whole 
land,  in  its  length  and  breadth,  and  fear  no  danger  ;  em- 
ploy the  means  of  education,  erect  school-houses,  build 
churches,  translate  the  Bible,  prepare  books,  and  apply 
the  various  instrumentalities  for  the  regeneration  of  a 
benighted  nation,  without  the  chilling  apprehension  that 
the  jealousy  or  fickleness  of  the  government,  or  some 
freak  of  human  depravity  may  at  any  time  frustrate  all 
his  plans  and  banish  him  from  the  country.  Sheltered 
under  the  wings  of  the  Almighty,  which  are  spread  over 
him  in  the  shape  of  British  dominion,  he  commences  his 
work,  confidently  expecting  to  be  able  to  finish  it. 

I  do  not  mean  to  intimate  that  the  English  nation,  as 
such,  has  any  such  noble  and  benevolent  design  in  her 
conquests  and  dominion  ;  "  howbeit  she  meaneth  not  so, 

*  As  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Judson,  Dr.  Vauderkemp,  Read,  &c. 


THE  ENGLISH  LANGUAGE.  161 

neither  doth  her  heart  think  so,"  but  that  the  Almighty 
Ruler  of  the  nations  has  chosen  her  as  his  arm,  by  which 
to  break  to  pieces  the  gates  of  brass,  and  cut  asunder  the 
bars  of  iron,  which  have  for  so  many  centuries  shut  up 
the  heathen  world  in  gross  darkness,  and  bound  them  fast 
in  the  bondage  of  Satan.  The  time  of  their  emancipa- 
tion has  come,  and  an  all-controlling  Providence,  who 
has  at  command  all  the  resources  of  earth,  has  chosen 
this  nation  as  his  instrument  by  which  to  accomplish  so 
noble  and  grand  a  purpose. 

I  need  not  ask  who  it  is  that  has  taken  the  reins  of 
government  from  so  many  hands,  and  given  them  to  a 
Christian  nation.  This,  and  on  a  magnificent  scale,  too, 
is  one  of  those  divine  arrangements  which  we  cannot  too 
much  admire.  What  unbounded  facilities  are  thus  af- 
forded for  the  diffusion  of  the  gospel  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  earth.  Do  the  embassadors  of  the  Cross 
need  protection  in  Birmah  or  China?  These  nations 
are  delivered  into  the  hands  of  England,  and  the  needed 
protection  secured.  Is  the  existence  and  prosperity  of  a 
mission  in  Abyssinia  suspended  on  the  will  of  the  king 
who  may  soon  be  succeeded  by  a  prince  hostile  to  Chris- 
tianity ?  Mark  the  divine  interposition  here.  A  British 
fleet  appears  in  the  Red  Sea.  Aden,  the  Gibralter  of  that 
sea,  and  the  key  to  Abyssinia  is  captured,  just  in  time 
to  afford  an  asylum  to  the  mission.* 

We  cannot  but  discern  the  hand  of  God  in  the  wisdom 
and  benevolence  of  the  arrangement  which  has  given 
such  a  decided  supremacy  to  the  nations  of  Christendom. 
The  word  of  their  power  is  felt  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
England  is  the  Rome  of  the  day.  In  respect  to  the  spread 
of  the  gospel,  she  holds  a  position  not  dissimilar  from  the 
Roman  empire  in  apostolic  days.  This  will  be  further 
illustrated  as  we  proceed. 

2.  Another  facility  for  the  universal  spread  of  the  gos- 
pel, in  which  the  hand  of  Providence  is  clearly  discerni- 
ble, is  the  very  great  pr'evalence  of  the  English  language, 


'  Aden  was  taken  by  the  British,  in  1841.  But  for  this  timely  interposition  of  Provi- 
dence, the  present  interesting  mission  must  have  been  broken  up  on  the  death  of  the 
present  king. 

14* 


162  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

and  a  corresponding  desire  to  become  acquainted  with 
that  language. 

The  EngHsh  language  is  a  store-house.  It  contains 
treasures  of  knowledge,  of  history,  of  wisdom,  theoretical 
and  practical.  It  embodies  a  record  of  the  arts  and 
sciences,  of  civilization  and  religion.  It  abounds,  too,  in 
political  wisdom,  opens  the  surest  road  to  social  and  civil 
honors ;  is  rich  in  biblical  learning  and  criticism ;  and, 
indeed,  affords  to  all  who  can  read  and  speak  it,  an 
immense  advantage  in  their  progress  from  barbarism  to 
civilization  and  Christianity.  We  can  scarcely  conceive 
a  man  to  have  free  access  to  the  treasures  of  English 
literature,  science  and  religion,  and  to  use  his  privileges, 
and  yet  remain  a  Pagan  or  Mohammedan.  He  may  be 
professedly  so,  yet  he  will  be  a  Christian  or  an  infidel. 

Language  is  a  mighty  thing.  The  Romans  understood 
this  when  they  spared  no  pains  to  diffuse  the  Latin  lan- 
guage throughout  their  distant  provinces.  By  this  means 
they  diffused  the  feelings  and  sentiments  of  Rome.  Thus 
Italy  not  only  gave  laws  to  the  many  nations  which  com- 
posed her  mighty  empire,  but,  by  sending,  through  the 
sure  channel  of  her  language,  her  fashions,  customs  and 
thoughts,  she  effectually  made  them  Roman.  The  influ- 
ence of  the  introduction  into  a  Pagan  nation,  of  a  Chris- 
tian language,  containing  a  Christian  literature,  science, 
history  and  theology,  and  forming  a  constant  channel  of 
communication  for  the  every-day  sentiments  of  a  Chris- 
tian people,  can  only  be  estimated  by  those  who  know 
the  power  of  language  over  the  national  character,  and 
the  social  and  religious  habits.  When  a  pagan  nation 
gives  up  its  language,  it  essentially  gives  up  those  rites, 
superstitions  and  fooleries  which  almost  entirely  make  up 
its  religion. 

The  English  language  is  fast  being  diffused  over  the 
whole  earth.  Not  only  is  it  co-extensive  wdth  the  vast 
domains  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  but  you  can  scarcely  visit 
a  people,  tribe  or  nation,  where  you  will  not  hear  the  fa- 
miliar accents  of  your  mother  tongue.  And,  as  exten- 
sive as  the  British  empire,  too,  is  the  desire  to  become 
acquainted  with  this  language.  The  Hindoo  and  the 
Tahitian,  the  proud  Chinese   and  the  poor  Esquimaux, 


DECREASE    OF    LANGUAGES.  163 

makes  it  the  height  of  his  ambition  to  be  able  to  read  and 
speak  the  language  of  so  noble  a  race. 

The  time  is.  not  distant  when  half  the  population  of  our 
globe  shall  speak  the  English  language.  Such,  at  least, 
are  the  present  intimations  of  Providence.  And  it  is  not 
difficult  to  see  what  must  be  the  bearing  of  such  a  fact 
on  the  destiny  of  the  whole  world.  If  language  be  a 
mighty  thing,  and  if  the  English  language  be  laden  with 
such  stores  as  has  been  said,  we  may  hail  the  singular 
prevalence  of  our  language  as  a  delightful  presage  that 
Truth  is  soon  to  prevail. 

But  there  is,  in  connection  with  this  thought  about 
languages,  a  kindred  fact  of  a  more  general  character, 
which  still  more  distinctly  indicates  a  providential  agency 
engaged  to  remove  obstacles  to  the  spread  of  the  truth. 
I  refer  to  the  remarkable  decrease  of  the  number  of  lan- 
guages. Not  a  few  of  the  languages,  which  have  so  long 
made  our  world  a  Babel, — producing  confusion  and  dis- 
persion, alienating  the  different  branches  of  the  same 
great  family,  have  within  the  last  century  ceased  to  be 
spoken  ;  and  as  many  Pagan  languages  are  scarcely  more 
than  spoken  languages,  having  nothing  that  deserves  the 
name  of  literature  ;  they  have  virtually  ceased  to  be 
languages.  And  the  number  is  yearly  becoming  less. 
The  spread  of  the  English  language,  easy  international 
communication,  and  the  supremacy  of  the  nations  speak- 
ing the  English  language,  are  fast  bringing  the  long  sepa- 
rated portions  of  the  human  race  again  into  one  great 
family.  Through  the  medium  of  six  or  seven  of  the 
principal  languages  now  used,  by  far  the  greater  portion 
of  the  world's  population  may  now  be  addressed.  Let 
the  missionary  address,  verbally  and  through  the  press, 
as  many  of  earth's  inhabitants  as  he  can  through  the 
medium  of  the  English,  French,  German,  Arabic,  Hin- 
doostanee,  Chinese,  and  one  language  of  Africa,*  and  he 
will  probably  have  reached  more  than  four  fifths  of  the 
whole.  And  causes  are  in  progress  to  diminish  the  num- 
ber of  languages  still  more.  Truth  only  is  permanent. 
And  those  languages  only,  can  live,  under  the  reign  of 

•  See  remarks  in  Chapter  XVI,  on  the  affinity  of  African  languages. 


164  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

Truth,  whose  literature,  science  and  theology,   are  the 
utterances  of  Truth. 

Hence  we  look  that  the  language  of  the  little  Isle — yet 
not  so  much  the  language  of  England,  as  the  language 
of  Puritanism  ;  the  Puritanism  of  Oliver  Cromwell  and 
New  England,  the  language  of  English  liberty,  of  Re- 
publicanism, of  true  science,  of  Protestantism,  of  religious 
freedom  and  of  piety,  shall  become  well  nigh  universal. 
Other  languages,  as  they  shall  become  inoculated  with 
the  vitality  of  Truth,  shall  have  a  longer  or  shorter,  a 
feebler  or  a  more  vigorous  Kfe.  Nevertheless,  we  look 
for  the  time  to  come  when  the  cause  of  the  melancholy 
catastrophe  at  Babel  shall  be  removed,  and  "  the  whole  " 
earth"  shall  again  be  of  one  language  and  one   speech." 

The  influence  which  this  wide  extension  of  the  Eng- 
lish language  must  have  in  the  evangelization  of  the 
world,  it  is  not  difficult  to  conceive.  It  aflfbrds  an  im- 
mense facility  far  the  propagation  of  the  gospel  to  the 
ends  of  the  earth.  And  who  has  furnished  it  to  our 
hands  ?  Who  has  done  this  new  thing,  and  made  a  way 
in  the  wilderness,  by  which  access  is  open  to  half  the  in- 
habitants of  the  globe  ?  The  Lord  is  his  name,  and  we 
will  praise  him.  He  is  hereby  breaking  down  the  parti- 
tion wall  that  has  separated  us  from  the  Gentile  world. 

3.  Akin  to  this,  there  is  a  disposition  equally  extensive 
to  conform  to  European  habits,  manners  and  dress  ;  to 
adopt  the  improvements  of  civilized  and  Chf'istiaii  nations  ; 
to  be  governed  by  their  laws,  and  profited  by  their  superior 
loisdom. 

These  things,  though  not  religion  or  morality,  are 
nearly  connected  with  both.  They  are  often  the  chan- 
nels through  which  religion  and  morality  are  introduced 
and  established.  When  a  people  consent  to  give  up  a 
false  philosophy  for  the  true  ;  Pagan  literature  for  Chris- 
tian ;  when  they  concede  the  superiority  of  civilized 
government  to  the  despotism  and  cruelty  of  Paganism, 
and  freely  avail  themselves  of  the  improvements  of  civil- 
ized life,  and  no  longer  despise  its  costume  and  social 
habits,  we  predict,  with  much  certainty,  that  they  are 
not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  They  have  eman- 
cipated themselves  from  the  bondage  of  prejudice,  and 


MODERN    IMPROVEMENTS.  165 

condescended  to  yield  to  the  sober  dictates  of  reason. 
Serious  obstacles  to  their  conversion  are  removed,  and 
we  may  expect  to  find  their  minds  open  to  receive  the 
truth. 

If,  on  looking  abroad  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  we 
find  such,  in  the  orderings  of  divine  Providence,  to  be 
the  actual  condition  of  large  portions  of  the  heathen 
world,  we  may,  without  fear  of  disappointment,  await 
some  favorable  result. 

4.  Facilities  for  the  spread  of  the  truth  arising  from 
modern  improvernents  in  modes  of  conveyance.  Before 
knowledge  shall  be  so  increased  as  to  cover  the  whole 
earth,  many  must  go  to  and  fro.  Distances  must  be  con- 
tracted ;  nations  be  brought  into  neighborhood,  and  close 
international  relations  formed. 

Such  is  precisely  what  we  see  at  the  present  day. 
For  all  purposes  of  business  or  social  intercourse,  Liver- 
pool is  now  as  near  New  York,  as,  forty  years  ago,  Bos- 
ton was  to  Albany,  Nor  is  China  so  far  from  us  now, 
as  London  was  at  that  period.  For  this  extraordinary 
change,  we  are  principally  indebted  to  the  application  of 
the  power  of  steam  to  the  purposes  of  locomotion.  The 
introduction  of  the  railroad  car  and  the  steam-ship, 
forms  altogether  a  new  era  in  the  business  and  reforma- 
tion of  the  world.  And  especially  is  the  influence  of 
this  new  order  of  things  felt  in  the  work  of  evangeliza- 
tion. The  Roman  empire  was  vastly  indebted  for  its 
greatness  and  glory,  to  the  facilities  of  communication 
which  connected  its  capital  with  its  remotest  frontier. 
By  means  of  its  great  national  roads,  constructed  at  an 
enormous  expense,  and  connecting  Rome  with  the  capi- 
tal of  every  province  of  the  empire,  (vestiges  of  which, 
after  fifteen  centuries,  still  remain,)  that  vast  empire  was 
consolidated  and  strengthened.  The  imperial  arm  could 
thus  reach  to  the  remotest  corner  of  the  empire.  Posts 
were,  by  this  means,  established  ;  intelligence  communi- 
cated ;  a  knowledge  of  science,  literature  and  improve- 
ments diffused  ;  and  the  great  purposes  of  government 
easily  answered.  Indeed,  as  already  intimated,  this  was 
the  feature  of  the  Roman  empire  which  made  it  so  effec- 
tual an  instrument  in  the  early  extension  of  the  gospel. 


166  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

When  a  superintending  Providence  would  convey  his 
messengers  throughout  the  Roman  world,  he  provided, 
as  never  before,  facilities  of  conveyance. 

But  not  the  provinces  of  the  Roman  empire,  but  now 
the  nations  and  kingdoms  of  the  whole  earth  are  brought 
into  juxta-position  by  means  of  improved  modes  of  con- 
veyance. Nations  are  no  longer  alienated  by  formidable 
distances,  or  unknown  seas.  There  is  scarcely  a  tribe 
on  the  surface  of  the  globe,  which  is  not  easily  accessible 
to  those  who  hold  in  their  hands  the  everlasting  gospel. 
A  voyage  around  the  world — a  visit  to  the  remotest  isl- 
ands of  the  Pacific,  is  but  an  enterprise  of  a  few  months. 
Do  philanthropists  of  different  nations  wish  to  meet  for 
mutual  consultation — do  Christians  of  every  clime  desire 
to  mingle  their  councils,  such  a  meeting  is  practicable. 
A  world's  convention  may  be  convened. 

Already  has  steam  navigation  wrought  a  mighty  change. 
It  has  changed  the  whole  moral,  social,  and  political 
world.  It  has  brought  nations  into  neighborhood  ;  made 
them  acquainted  with  one-another's  advantages  and  dis- 
advantages, virtues  and  vices,  and  thus  struck  a  death- 
blow to  a  thousand  prejudices  and  superstitions,  and 
made  many  tribes  of  rude  barbarians  ashamed  of  their  ig- 
norance and  barbarism,  and  resolved  to  imitate  their  im- 
proved neighbors. 

It  has  wrought  a  mighty  change  on  the  habits  of  the 
sluggish  nations  of  the  East.  The  paddle-wheels  of  im- 
provement, and  the  terrific  puffs  of  the  fire  and  smoke  of 
reform,  have  broken  up  the  stagnant  waters  of  every  na- 
tion from  Constantinople  to  Japan.  It  has  infused  a 
spirit  of  enterprise  ;  a  promptness  in  business  habits ;  an 
idea  of  the  power  of  true  science,  and  shown  the  practi- 
cability and  vast  advantages  to  a  nation  of  progressive 
improvement,  which  nothing  before  has  ever  done.  It 
becomes  a  ready  medium  for  the  interchange  of  ideas. 
The  Chinese  and  American  may  now  meet  on  common 
ground,  and  talk  of  government,  of  science  and  religion. 
They  may  weigh  the  merits  of  their  respective  systems ; 
compare  practical  results  as  exhibited  in  the  character  of 
their  respective  nations,  and  deduce  a  motive  for  im- 
provement.    It  affords,  too,  every  needed  facility  for  the 


PROGRESSIVE  IMPROVEMENT.  167 

conveyance  of  the  agents  of  philanthropy  and  benevo- 
lence to  every  nation  on  earth.  It  is  a  presage  of  vast 
good  that  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  are,  at  length,  brought 
into  so  close  neighborhood  as  to  afford  a  ready  inter- 
change of  thoughts,  and  a  comparison  of  habits.  While 
the  missionary  from  America  is  teaching  a  pure  gospel  in 
Bombay  or  Batavia,  and  exemplifying  the  graces  of  our 
holy  religion,  the  Imaum  of  Muscat,  a  bishop  from  the 
mountains  of  Persia,  a  Chinese  mandarine,  or  some  Henry 
Obookiah,  from  an  unknown  island,  is  gazing  and  wonder- 
ing at  what  he  beholds  in  a  land  of  free  institutions,  and 
of  a  pure  religion.  They  return  to  their  respective  coun- 
tries to  relate  and  recommend  what  they  have  seen,  and 
heard,  and  felt. 

Discern  we  not  the  hand  of  God  here  ?  Has  blind 
chance  produced  such  a  state  of  things  ?  Do  we  not 
rather  here  read  the  gracious  interposition  of  Heaven  in 
behalf  of  a  world  dying  in  wickedness  ?  Something  here 
seems  to  say,  the  winter  is  past,  the  rain  is  over  and  gone, 
the  flowers  appear  on  the  earth,  the  time  of  the  singing  of 
birds  is  come.     The  day  of  earth's  redemption  is  at  hand. 

But  the  progress  of  improvement  in  modes  of  convey- 
ance has  yet  found  no  limit.  We  have  yet  no  engine  for 
locomotion  which  is,  of  its  kind,  perfect.  Its  machinery, 
both  as  to  material  and  workmanship,  is  constantly  un- 
dergoing improvement.  The  sciences  on  which  it  de- 
pends are  but  in  their  infancy,  and,  of  consequence,  their 
practical  results  are  imperfect.  We  may,  therefore,  ex- 
pect vast  improvements  in  our  means  of  international  com- 
munication, which  shall  make  them  safer  and  more  expe- 
ditious. And  not  only  this,  but  are  we  not  to  look  for 
further  inventions,  which  shall  as  far  excel  our  present 
modes  of  conveyance,  as  these  surpass  those  in  the  days 
of  our  grandfathers  ? 

The  supposition  is  a  fair  one,  and  not  without  some 
plausible  grounds.  Several  years  elapsed,  after  the  dis- 
covery that  steam  might  be  made  a  locomotive  power,  be- 
fore it  was  applied  to  purposes  of  any  essential  importance. 
Franklin,  sometime  after  the  discovery  had  been  an- 
nounced, ventured  the  prediction  that  the  time  would 
come  when  a  vessel  should  be  propelled  by  steam  at  the 


168  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

rate  of  seven  or  eight  miles  an  hour ;  that  the  day  might 
come  when  the  Atlantic  should  be  crossed  in  a  steam- 
ship ;  and  the  distance  from  New  York  to  Philadelphia 
be  traversed  in  a  single  day  and  night. 

Few  had  the  mind  of  Franklin,  or  penetrated  so  far 
into  futurity,  or  anticipated  more  accurately  the  expan- 
sive intellect  and  inventive  genius  of  man,  or  the  ad- 
vances of  science.  Yet  how  far  he  fell  short  of  the  pres- 
ent reality. 

The  supposition  is  more  than  probable  that  the  coming 
half  century  shall  be  as  fertile,  in  useful  inventions,  as  the 
last  half  has  been.  Already  modes  of  conveyance  have 
been  invented,  which,  if  they  can  be  made  practical,  and 
be  brought  to  perfection,  will  as  far  surpass  steam-ships 
and  railroad  cars,  as  these  surpass,  in  celerity  of  motion 
and  convenience,  the  Dutch  schooner  which  navigated 
the  North  river  forty  years  ago,  or  the  Jersey  cart  which 
plied  between  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  The  ex- 
pectation that  air  balloons  shall,  within  that  period,  be- 
come practical  and  safe  means  of  crossing  mountains, 
rivers,  seas,  and  deserts,  as,  with  a  bird-like  celerity,  the 
inhabitants  of  one  nation  shall,  on  errands  of  mercy,  or 
tours  of  business  or  pleasure,  wish  to  visit  the  inhabitants 
of  another,  is  no  more  absurd,  does  at  this  day  no  more 
transcend  our  conceptions  of  what  may  be,  than  the  idea 
of  the  present  facilities  for  traveling  and  freight  would 
have  surpassed  the  conceptions  of  men  fifty  years  ago. 
And  should  the  close  of  the  next  fifty  years  witness  our 
atmosphei'e  a  high  way  to  the  nations,  by  means  of  air- 
ships, there  will  be  as  little  reason  for  surprise.*  Indeed, 
should  this  be  the  "  new  thing  ^  which  inventive  Heaven 
shall  do ;  this  the  "  way,"  which,  in  these  latter  days,  He 
will  open  for  the  more  speedy  acceleration  of  his  work  on 
earth,  it  would  but  beautifully  accord  with  the  description 
of  its  progress  given  in  Rev.  xiv.  6  :  *'  And  I  saw  an 
angel  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the  everlasting 


*  Indeed,  little  is  wanting  now  to  realize  all  I  have  supposed,  but  the  invention  of 
some  mode  oi  guiding  the  balloon  in  a  horizontal  direction.  This  attained,  and  the 
point  is  gained.  Tribes  and  nations,  now  quite  inaccessible,  would  be  thrown  open  to 
us.  The  following  notice  recently  appeared  in  a  New  York  paper  :  "An  aerial  car 
for  navigating  the  air  at  will,  in  all  directions,  was  exhibited  in  the  Tabernacle,  Feb. 
23d,  1.849,  to  be  propelled  by  a  steam-propeller  of  ten-horse  power. 


ISTHMUS  OF  SUEZ   AND  DARIEN.  169 

gospel  to  preach."  Again,  the  wonderful  mode  of  com- 
munication through  the  Magnetic  Telegraph,  by  which 
means  intercourse  may  be  held,  business  transacted,  and 
knowledge  communicated  instantly  between  places  thou- 
sands of  miles  asunder,  can,  by  no  means,  be  passed  un- 
noticed here.  The  bearing  of  this  new  and  extraordinary 
mode  of  communication,  for  good  or  for  evil  on  the  world, 
will  be  tremendous.  If  overruled  for  good,  as  we  may 
expect,  it  will  doubtless  prove  one  of  the  most  efficient 
arrangements  which  Providence  has  ever  devised  for  the 
enlarging  and  Christianizing  the  world.  Long  hath  God 
made  the  winds  his  ministers ;  now  shall  he  make  the 
fiery  flames  his  messengers. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  all  these  human  improve- 
ments are  under  the  special  direction  of  a  superintending 
Providence.  He  has  not  so  vastly  increased  the  means 
of  going  "  to  and  fro,"  without  a  design  that  knowledge 
shall  increase  and  speedily  cover  the  earth.  The  pres- 
ent accessihleness  of  the  world  for  all  the  appliances  by 
which  it  is  to  be  converted,  is  exceedingly  interesting. 
What  surer  indication  can  we  have  that  God  is  about  to 
do  a  great  work  among  the  nations  of  the  earth  !  Infinite 
Wisdom  prepares  not  his  instrumentalities  in  vain. 
"  The  earth  helps  the  woman,"  by  doing  the  most  expen- 
sive part  of  missionary  labor  in  providing  the  facilities  of 
conveyance  and  intercourse.  But  I  pass  to  our  next 
particular,  which  is  of  a  kindred  character. 

5.  I  should  be  overlooking  what  will  doubtless,  in  a 
few  years,  be  regarded  as  an  exceedingly  interesting  item 
in  the  annals  of  international  improvement,  if  I  did  not 
allude,  at  least,  to  two  contemplated  works  which  are 
destined  to  produce  tremendous  transformations  in  the 
political  and  moral  world.  I  mean  the  joining  of  the  At- 
lantic and  Pacific  Oceans,  and  the  Mediterranean  and 
Red  Seas  hy  means  of  ship  canals. 

The  practicability  of  the  latter  of  these  enterprises,  as 
to  any  physical  obstructions,  has  not,  as  I  am  aware,  been 
called  in  question.  And  misgivings,  as  to  the  former, 
have  been  quite  removed  by  the  late  surveys  of  Mr.  Bai- 
ley, a  half-pay  British  officer.  The  proximity  of  the  two 
oceans  between  North  and  South  America,  the  interposi- 

15 


170  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

tion  of  lake  Nicaragua,  and  the  river  San  Juan,  occupy- 
ing a  greater  portion  of  this  route,  and  the  singular  depres- 
sion, at  this  place,  of  the  Andes,  are  obvious  indications 
of  Providence  pointing  out  this  to  be  a  future  highway 
for  the  nations.*  The  navigation  of  the  globe  is,  at  pres- 
ent, impeded  by  formidable  obstacles.  Not  a  vessel  from 
either  of  the  great  maritime  nations  can  now  visit  Asia 
or  the  Pacific  ocean,  without  first  doubling  the  tempestu- 
ous Cape  of  Good  Hope,  or  the  more  tempestuous  Horn, 
and  by  a  circuitous  route  of  several  thousand  miles. 
One  half  the  time  and  expense  of  navigation,  and  more 
than  one  half  the  danger,  will  be  removed  the  day  the 
above  named  passages  be  opened. 

Columbus  saw  this,  and  sought  a  passage  to  the  Pacific 
between  the  two  continents.  The  Spaniards,  sensible  of 
its  advantages,  have,  from  time  to  time,  projected  plans 
for  its  accomplishment.  The  governments  of  Central 
America  have  proposed  schemes  for  which  they  have 
asked  the  co-operation  of  the  United  States,  and  the 
Netherlands.  The  American  Senate,  and  the  courts  of 
Europe,  have  accorded  to  it,  in  some  degree  at  least,  the 
importance  it  may  claim.  Readily  has  it  been  acknowl- 
edged to  be  "  the  mightiest  event  in  favor  of  the  peaceful 
intercouse  of  nations,  which  the  physical  circumstances 
of  the  globe  present  to  the  enterprise  of  man." 

The  influence  of  this  enterprise,  if  once  completed,  (the 
cost  of  which  is  estimated  at  not  above  twenty-five  mill- 
ions of  dollars,)  would  be  vast  beyond  conception.  It 
would  soon  bring  the  moral  and  political  wastes  of  Cen- 
tral America  into  the  pale  of  civilization  and  a  pure 
Christianity.  It  would  bring  the  present  semi-barbarous 
and  unproductive  provinces  of  the  whole  western  coast 
of  America,  from  Patagonia  to  Bhering  Straits,  into  the 
family  of  nations,  develop  the  vast  resources  which  these 
immense  territories  are  capable  of  contributing  to  na- 
tional wealth  and  influence,  and  thus  vastly  enhance  the 
resources  of  the  world  for  the  accomplishment  of  any- 
great  moral  enterprise. 


*  Similar  remarks  might  be  made  respecting  a  passage  for  a  rail-way  through  the 
Rocky  mountains. 


ISTHMUS  OF  SUEZ.  171 

That  garden  of  the  world,  though  now  overrun,  phys- 
ically, morally,  and  politically,  with  a  useless,  if  not  nox- 
ious growth  of  most  unlovely  luxuriance,  where  once 
flourished  the  magnificent  cities  of  Copan,  Palenque,  and 
Aztalan,  would  again  smile  with  its  marts  of  trade ;  and 
its  beautiful  plains  be  covered  with  the  sure  tokens  of  im- 
provement and  prosperity.  There  would,  as  it  were,  be 
added  to  the  world  a  vast  accession  of  territory  and  pop- 
ulation. Numerous  nations  and  tribes ;  immense  bodies 
of  the  human  race,  would,  by  this  means,  be  inducted  into 
the  rank  of  nations,  improved,  assimilated,  and  prepared 
to  act  in  concert  for  the  general  advancement  of  the 
world.* 

Similar  remarks  might  be  ofl^ered  in  reference  to  the 
other  great  enterprise — the  connecting  the  Mediterranean 
and  Red  seas  at  the  Isthmus  of  Suez.     But  I  pass  on. 

Is  that,  I  ask,  a  visionary  expectation,  which  antici- 
pates the  time  as  near,  when  the  steam-ship  shall  send  up 
its  dark  volumes  of  smoke  among  the  Andes,  or  over  the 
desert  of  Egypt ;  or  disturb,  with  its  impertinent  wheels, 
the  calm  waters  of  the  Pacific  ?  It  is  no  more  visionary 
than  (forty  years  ago)  that  the  Atlantic  and  the  great 
lakes  should  be  connected,  or  a  voyage  to  India  should  be 
made  by  steam.  Already  is  this  indicated  to  be  one  of 
the  great  schemes  of  Providence  for  the  elevation  and 
moral  improvement  of  our  race.  And  we  may  rest  as- 
sured that  when  He  shall  wish  to  bring  the  nations  into 
still  nearer  proximity — when,  to  accelerate  still  faster  the 
work  of  the  world's  amelioration,  he  will  so  quicken  and 
mature  the  wisdom  and  enterprise  of  man,  and  so  remove 
present  political  inabilities  and  obstructions,  that  this 
"  new  thing'  may  be  done,  and  this  "  way  in  the  wilder- 
ness" be  prepared  for  the  redemption  of  the  world. 

*  The  following  is  from  a  report  of  M.  Le  Humboldt  to  the  Academy  of  Science: 
"  The  examination  of  localities,  by  commission  (of  the  French  government,)  has  termin- 
ated— the  result  as  favorable  as  expected.  The  chain  of  the  Cordilleras  does  not  extend, 
as  supposed,  across  the  Isthmus,  but  a  valley,  very  favorable  for  the  operation,  has  been 
discovered.  The  natural  position  of  the  waters  is  also  favorable.  Three  rivers,  over 
which  an  easy  control  may  be  established,  and  which  may  be  made  partially  navigable, 
would  be  connected  with  the  canal.  The  excavations  necessary  would  not  exceed 
twelve  and  a  half  miles.  The  fail,  regulated  by  four  locks,  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
eight  feet.  Total  length  of  the  canal,  forty-nine  miles — width  at  surface,  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  feet — width  at  base,  fifty-five  feet — depth,  forty  feet — navigable  for  ves- 
sels of  one  thousand  to  one  thousand  four  hundi-ed  tons— cost,  one  hundred  and 
twenty-four  millions  franks." 


172  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

6.  The  same  grand  scheme  of  preparation  for  the  uni- 
versal spread  of  the  gospel,  as  conducted  by  the  hand  of 
an  all-controling  Providence,  is  further  indicated  hy  the 
extensive  commercial  relations  which  England  and  Amer- 
ica, at  present,  hold  over  the  whole  face  of  the  earth. 

No  people  can,  to  any  great  extent,  meet  and  barter 
their  commodities  without,  at  the  same  time,  an  inter- 
change of  thoughts.  Continued  commerce  will  introduce 
into  a  pagan  nation  much  besides  merchandize.  The  im- 
provements, the  literature  and  science,  the  manners  and 
religion  of  the  more  civilized,  follow  in  the  wake  of  their 
commerce.  Here,  principally,  the  people  of  different  na- 
tions have  the  opportunity  of  free  and  friendly  intercourse. 
Masters  of  vessels,  supercargoes,  indeed,  men  of  almost 
every  class  are,  at  this  day,  dispersed  through  almost 
every  nation,  province  or  island — adventurers,  agents, 
men,  as  in  the  navy,  for  the  protection  of  commerce, 
functionaries  of  government — and  all  these  enjoy  rare 
opportunities  of  preparing  the  way  for  the  glorious  gospel. 

And  it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  these  rare  privileges 
of  exerting  an  influence  far  and  wide  on  the  barbarous 
nations  of  the  earth,  are,  providentially,  confided  to  the 
hands  of  the  two  principal  Christian  nations.  Where 
will  you  find  a  people  or  tribe  that  sustains  no  com- 
mercial relation  with  England  or  America  ?  To  the  same 
extent  God  has  confided  to  these  nations  the  solemn  trust 
of  acting  as  the  almoners  of  Heaven's  riches  to  the  world. 
If  they  betray  this  trust,  if  they  act  unworthy  this  high 
prerogative,  God  will  take  it  from  them  and  give  it  to 
whom  he  shall  choose.  Yet  we  cannot  contemplate 
such  an  arrangement  without  discovering  in  it  a  presage 
of  speedy  and  universal  good  to  all  people  and  kindreds 
of  the  earth. 

7.  The  extensive  establishment  over  the  world  of  the 
post-office  system,  is  another  kindred  providential  arrange- 
ment of  immense  moment  in  the  civilization  and  the 
Christianizing  of  the  world.  The  mere  announcement  of 
this  may  not  develop  its  true  importance;  yet  a  mo- 
ment's reflection  will  assign,  among  the  facilities  for  the 
spread  of  the  gospel,  a  high  place  to  an  establishment 
which  enables  men,  dwelling  at  the  two  extremities  of  the 


VAST  INCREASE  OF  WEALTH.  173 

earth,  to  transact  business,  and  interchange  thoughts  and 
feeUngs.  But  for  the  post-office,  the  faciUties  afforded  for 
the  amehoration  of  the  world  by  means  of  our  extended 
navigation ;  our  commercial  relations ;  the  wide  preva- 
lence of  the  English  language ;  and  a  tendency  among 
unevangelized  nations  to  imitate  the  manners  and  imbibe 
the  sentiments  of  the  more  civilized  nations,  would,  to  a 
great  extent,  be  neutralized. 

8.  Finally,  we  must  not  leave  out  of  the  account  the 
immense  accessions  of  wealth  which  have  recently  been, 
and  which  are  still  being,  brought  to  light.  To  pass  over 
the  exhaustless  treasures  which  have  within  a  few  years 
been  discovered  in  coal  deposits  and  beds  of  iron,  some 
extending  hundreds  of  miles,  (as  in  Illinois  and  Missouri,) 
remarkable  discoveries  have  of  late  been  made  of  the  more 
precious  metals  and  minerals,  which  have  of  a  sudden 
added  immensely  to  the  pecuniary  resources  of  the  world. 
In  the  interior  of  Africa,  near  Gossan,  on  the  eastern  side 
of  the  Sommat,  and  also  on  the  banks  of  the  Gamamil, 
gold  has  recently  been  discovered  by  Russian  engineers 
in  the  service  of  the  Egyptian  government,  which  ex- 
ceeds in  abundance  and  richness  the  far  famed  mines  of 
Siberia,  and  threaten  to  rival  the  wonderful  discoveries 
of  Cahfornia.  Gold  has  also  been  recently  found  in  the 
island  of  Borneo,  in  different  parts  of  Europe,  in  Rhode 
Island,  New  Jersey,  North  Garolina,  Virginia,  Georgia, 
and  in  other  places  of  the  United  States,  and  in  Canada ; 
new  discoveries  in  Mexico  and  Central  America,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  inexhaustless  treasures  of  the  world-famed 
California  and  Oregon.  Yet  it  is,  perhaps,  more  to  our 
purpose  to  notice  the  late  discoveries  of  minerals  and 
metals  which  are  usually  esteemed  less  precious.  An  ex- 
ceedingly rich  silver  mine  has  just  been  opened  in  Spain, 
and  another  in  California.  Coal  has  been  found  abund- 
antly on  Vancouver's  island,  just  in  the  right  spot  to  pro- 
vide for  the  steam  navigation  of  the  Pacific,  when  the 
new  route  to  the  "  Indies"  shall  be  opened  over  the  Amer- 
ican continent — Missouri  and  Illinois  supplying  in  their 
place.  Cobalt  has  just  been  found  in  Cornwall,  England, 
— a  dying  material  which  produces  the  splendid  Tyrian 
purple,  and  is,  ounce  for  ounce,  of  equal  value  with  gold. 

15* 


174  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

And  a  valuable  spring  of  viineral  oil,  or  naptha,  has  been 
discovered  in  a  coal  pit  near  Alfreton,  Derbyshire.  Be- 
sides gold  and  silver,  the  mineral  wealth  of  New  Mexico 
and  California  is  immense ;  mineral  springs,  salt  in  the 
greatest  abundance,  platina,  till  of  late  worth  its  weight 
in  gold,  mercury,  copper  in  vast  quantities,  iron  ore  and 
coal.  All  these  vast  resources  of  nature,  so  long  hid 
from  the  research  of  man,  are  brought  to  light  now  for 
some  purpose.  They  have  been  kept  safely  treasured  up 
in  the  capacious  store-house  of  the  great  Proprietor  till 
he  has  need  of  them. 

But  I  will  pursue  the  subject  no  farther  at  present.  A 
few  brief  reflections  urge  themselves  upon  us. 

1.  The  tremendous  responsibility  of  England  and 
America.  The  destiny  of  the  world  is,  under  God,  sus- 
pended on  the  course  of  conduct  which  they  pursue.  If 
they  act  decidedly  in  favor  of  a  sound  morality  and  pure 
religion ;  if  they  hesitate  not  to  use,  in  all  proper  ways, 
their  immense  advantages  to  fill  the  world  with  blessings, 
they  may  wield  a  moral  power  for  its  renovation,  such  as 
no  nation  could  at  any  former  period.  The  resources  of 
these  two  nations,  in  wealth  and  territory ;  in  power ;  in 
learning  and  truth ;  in  useful  arts  and  inventions ;  in  in- 
dustry and  enterprise ;  in  almost  every  thing  needed  to 
secure  influence  abroad,  are  enormous.  But  why  has 
God  committed  to  their  hands  such  prodigious  resources  ? 
Doubtless  that  they  may  fulfill  his  designs  in  the  renova- 
tion of  the  world.  If  they  are  faithless  here,  God  will 
not  hold  them  guiltless.  The  nation  or  kingdom  that  will 
not  serve  Him  shall  perish. 

2.  The  responsibility  of  travelers,  visitors,  and  sojourn- 
ers in  foreign  lands.  They  appear  abroad  as  the  repre- 
sentatives of  Christianity.  Nations  less  civilized,  and 
debased  by  a  false  religion,  estimate  the  value  of  Chris- 
tianity very  much  as  they  see  it  exemplified  in  the  every- 
day life  of  those  calling  themselves  Christians.  How  im- 
portant, then,  that  Christian  travelers  and  sojourners 
among  such  nations,  should  not  mw-represent  our  religion 
and  its  thousand  concomitant  blessings.  And  on  the 
other  hand,  no  class  of  persons  may  be  so  extensively 
and  permanently  useful  as  they  who  have  it  in  their  power 


REFLECTIONS.  175 

to  he  examples  of  Christian  faith  and  practice  among 
unevangeHzed  nations,  and  who  may  introduce  among 
them  the  better  manners  and  customs,  and  the  comforts 
and  improvements  in  common  Hfe  which  obtain  among 
Christian  nations. 

3.  We  have  here  forcibly  urged  on  us  the  duty  we 
owe  to  sailors.  No  class  of  men  may  on  the  one  hand 
do  more  mischief  abroad,  or  on  the  other,  more  effectually 
carry  out  the  purposes  of  divine  mercy  towards  our 
world,  than  they  "  who  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  who  do 
business  in  great  waters."  Their  field  is  peculiarly  the 
world.  Let  them  go  forth  sanctified  men,  everywhere 
zealous  for  the  honor  of  their  God,  and  their  influence 
will  be  immense  beyond  calculation. 

4.  With  what  pleasing  interest  and  profound  solemnity 
ought  we  to  regard  the  present  condition  of  the  world ! 
Never  before  has  God  provided  such  resources  for  its  re- 
covery. Never  before  has  he  brought  it  into  a  position 
so  favorable  to  receive  the  truth,  and  never  imposed  on 
his  people  so  solemn  obligations.  What  thrilling  motives 
have  we  here  to  action!  Are  we  servants  of  Christ? 
Never  were  we  more  encouraged,  or  so  loudly  called  on 
to  live  for  our  Divine  Master.  Are  we  permitted  to  co- 
operate with  God  ?  Never  before  were  we  urged  on  by 
such  irresistible  arguments.  If  God  is  making  a  short 
work  on  the  earth, — if  He  is  consummating  his  plans 
with  unprecedented  and  glorious  rapidity,  how  ought  we 
to  double  our  diligence,  that  we  may  keep  pace  with  his 
stately  steppings. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Hand  of  God  in  facilities  and  resources.  General  peace.  Progress  of  knowledge, 
civilization  and  freedom.  The  three  great  obstacles  essentially  removed,  Paganism, 
the  Papacy  and  Mohammedanism. 

"  Behold  I  will  do  a  new  thing — /  will  even  make  a  way  in  the 
wilderness^  and  rivers  in  the  desert ^     Isa.  xliii.  19. 

Providence  makes  no  vain  preparations.  The  end  is 
never  less  sublime  than  is  indicated  by  the  beginning. 
Immense  facilities  now  exist  for  the  general  diffusion  of 
the  gospel.  I  have  named  the  unwonted  acquisition  of 
territory  by  the  two  great  Protestant  nations,  and  their 
extraordinary  supremacy  among  the  nations  of  the  earth 
— the  prevalence  of  the  English  language — a  disposition 
to  adopt  European  manners,  habits  and  dress,  to  be  ben- 
efited by  the  improvements  of  Christian  nations,  and  to 
be  governed  by  their  laws— modern  improvements  in 
modes  of  conveyance — the  extensive  commercial  rela- 
tions of  the  two  great  Christian  nations,  and  the  present 
extensive  arrangements  for  social  and  international  com- 
munication by  means  of  posts.  I  shall  now  adduce  two 
or  three  particulars  more. 

8.  The  general  peace,  which  at  present  pervades  the 
earth,  furnishes  another  facility  for  the  universal  extension 
of  our  religion.  This  is  purely  providential,  and  is  a 
harbinger  of  prosperity  to  Zion.  The  temple  of  Janus 
has  been  shut  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century ;  during 
which  there  has  been  no  general  war,  and  the  partial  war- 
fares which  have  been  carried  on,  have  been  peculiarly 
overruled  to  the  spread  of  the  gospel. 

When  God  was  about  to  bring  his  Son  into  the  world, 
he  hushed  the  world  into  peace — committed  the  govern- 
ment of  the  earth  principally  to  one  nation,  whose  head, 
unlike  his  predecessors,  loved  peace  more  than  conquest. 
Here,  under  God,  lay  hid  the  mystery  of  the  rapidity  with 
which  the  gospel  spread  in  the  days  of  the  apostles.  The 
wings  of  the  Roman  eagle  were  spread  to  protect  her 
citizens  at  the  farthest  verge  of  the  known  world.    When 


GENERAL    PEACE.  177 

Paul  said,  /  am  a  Ro?nan  citizen,  he  found  protection 
amidst  the  mob.  Under  the  benign  auspices  of  the  Au- 
gustan age,  the  gospel  had  free  course  and  was  glorified. 

Again  has  the  clangor  of  battle  ceased — except  it  be 
as  the  distant  murmur  of  waters  in  some  dark  cavern. 
No  more  do  we  hear  the  thunder  of  the  battle-field,  or 
"  see  garments  rolled  in  blood."  But  who  hath  stationed 
his  angels  at  "  the  four  corners  of  the  earth  to  hold  the 
four  winds  of  the  earth,  that  the  wind  should  not  blow  on- 
the  earth,  nor  on  the  sea,  nor  on  any  green  tree" — giving 
the  world  another  respite  from  the  turmoil  and  confusion 
of  war  ?  And  for  what  purpose,  if  not  that  the  everlast- 
ing gospel  may  be  preached  to  all  nations  and  kindreds, 
and  God's  elect  be  sealed?  The  moment  the  torch  of 
war  be  lighted,  and  hostile  armies  invade  a  nation,  the 
banners  of  the  Cross  are  furled.  Thus  is  the  mighty  arm 
of  God  made  bare,  to  restrain  the  wrath  of  man,  and  to 
give  protection  and  success  to  his  servants. 

The  demon  of  war  is  only  restrained,  not  annihilated. 
In  the  far  distant,  and  scarcely  below  the  horizon,  the 
dark  cloud  of  war  is  still  lying.  Ever  and  anon,  as  if 
resting  on  the  bosom  of  troubled  waters,  its  black  folds 
loom  above  the  line  of  vision,  and  threaten  a  storm.  Yet 
it  soon  disappears  beneath  its  own  native  billows,  and  the 
sun  of  peace  again  shines.  Then  again  it  sends  up  its 
lurid  fires,  and  its  distant  thunders  roar.  Yet  we  have, 
at  least  for  a  little  space  longer,  security,  in  the  dispensa- 
tions of  Providence,  that  the  days  of  the  Divine  forbear- 
ance are  not  yet  past.  The  principal  nations  of  the 
earth  are  strangely  bound  together  by  mutual  ties  of 
friendship,  philanthropy  and  interest.  If  there  was  at 
this  time  no  other  security  for  a  general  peace,  we  have 
a  strong  one  in  the  commercial  relations,  w^hich  exist  be- 
tween the  principal  nations.  The  capital  embarked  by 
these  nations  in  commerce,  to  say  nothing  of  benevolence, 
is  as  bonds  given  by  them  to  keep  the  peace  of  the  world. 
War  would  not  only  peril  a  vast  amount  of  their  property, 
but  would  destroy  a  good  trade.  England  might  almost 
as  well  sack  and  burn  Liverpool  as  New- York — Russia 
as  well  make  St.  Petersburg  the  spoil  of  war  as  London. 

9.  Again  is  the  hand  of  God  strikingly  visible  in  the 


178  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

present  advanced  and  the  yet  advancing  condition  of  knowl- 
edge, civilization  and  freedo7n.  In  these  respects,  too, 
God  has  brought  the  world  into  a  posture  favorable  to 
the  progress  of  Christianity. 

Christianity  is  by  no  means  a  religion  of  ignorance  and 
barbarism.  It  luxuriates  in  the  light ;  walks  hand  in  hand 
with  learning,  and  only  brings  forth  its  fruit  in  all  its  na- 
tive richness,  when  nurtured  in  the  genial  soil  of  civiliza- 
tion and  freedom. 

Now,  if,  on  looking  abroad  in  the  world,  you  discover 
an  advanced  and  a  yet  advancing  state  of  these  three 
great  auxiliaries  and  accompaniments  of  a  manly,  well 
developed,  all-commanding  piety,  are  you  not  to  regard 
them  as  tokens  of  providential  schemes  about  to  be  carried 
out,  and  as  monitions  to  duty,  and  facilities  for  executing 
the  plans  of  Heaven  in  setting  up  Messiah's  kingdom  on 
earth  ? 

The  present  progress  in  knowledge  finds  no  parallel  in 
any  preceding  age  of  the  world.  Learning,  heretofore, 
had  been  confined  not  only  to  a  few  nations,  but  to  a  few 
individuals  of  these  nations.  Now,  there  is  something 
approximating  a  universal  diffusion  of  knowledge.  There 
are  few  people  or  tribes  in  whose  bosom  there  has  not, 
wdthin  the  last  twenty  years,  been  kindled  an  unwonted 
ambition  to  be  able  to  read,  and  become  acquainted,  at 
least,  with  the  rudiments  of  useful  knowledge.  The  pro- 
gress of  truth,  whether  as  to  facts  or  principles,  whether 
in  the  sciences  or  in  the  practical  affairs  of  life,  has 
within  a  few  years  past  been  astonishingly  onward.  Fic- 
tion, romance,  legendary  tales,  gross  superstitions,  Pagan 
mythology,  which  but  a  short  time  since  held  such  bane- 
ful supremacy  over  the  mind  of  the  vast  majority  of  man- 
kind, have,  to  no  inconsiderable  extent,  given  place  to  the 
desire  and  pursuit  of  rational  knowledge. 

It  is  but  a  few  years  since  the  literary  trumpery  of  Pa- 
ganism— the  Koran  and  Sonnah  of  the  Mahometans,  the 
Targums  and  Talmuds  of  the  Jews,  and  the  nonsensical 
traditions,  legends,  and  ghostly  tales  of  Romanism,  en- 
grossed nearly  all  the  learning  in  the  world.  Truth  stood 
alone,  and  was  desolate.  She  sighed  in  vain  for  any  to 
do  her  reverence,  while  the  world  was  gone  after  fiction 


ADVANCE    OF    KNOWLEDGE.  179 

and  falsehood.  History,  philosophy,  geography,  physics, 
metaphysics  and  theology,  Avere  unknown,  except  as  dimly 
seen,  befogged  and  mystified  in  the  sacred  books  of  pa- 
ganism. Socrates  fell  a  martyr  to  true  science.  The 
Copernican  system  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  at  a  much 
later  date,  was  condemned  as  a  heresy,  by  the  sapient 
Inquisition  of  the  seventeenth  century  :  and  Galileo,  for 
certain  astronomical  discoveries  made  by  his  newly  con- 
structed telescope,  and  which  went  to  confirm  the  Coper- 
nican heresy,  was  condemned,  by  the  same  ghostly  court, 
to  all  the  horrors  of  perpetual  banishment,  and  forced  to 
purchase  his  liberty  by  retracting  his  opinions.  Virgilius, 
archbishop  of  Saultzburgh,  was  excommunicated  by  the 
Church  of  Rome,  and  Spigelius,  archbishop  of  Upsal  in 
Sweden,  suffered  martyrdom  at  the  stake  for  entertaining 
the  theory  of  the  spherical  form  of  the  earth.  The  dis- 
coveries and  signal  advances  made  in  science  by  the 
immortal  Bacon,  were  believed  by  his  ignorant  cotem- 
poraries  to  be  the  works  of  magic.  They  were  denounced 
to  the  court  of  Rome  as  "his  dangerous  opinions  and 
astonishing  operations,"  attributing  them  to  the  agency 
of  the  devil.  The  great  adversary  of  human  knowledge 
and  of  the  immortal  soul  had  almost  completely  monopo- 
lized the  mind  of  the  entire  family  of  man.  He  had 
either  buried  it  in  sordid  ignorance,  or,  if  he  could  not 
repress  its  deathless  activity,  he  had  prostituted  its  ener- 
gies to  purposes  the  most  vile  and  worthless. 

But  the  infernal  chain  is  now,  measurably,  broken ; 
man  is  intellectually  emancipated ;  there  is  freedom  of 
thought,  freedom  of  research,  and  full  scope  given  to  ^11 
the  inventive  and  acquisitive  powers  of  mind. 

Late  advancements  in  science  have  vastly  facihtated 
all  the  operations  of  life,  and  thrown  open  to  the  unre- 
stricted range  of  the  mind,  fields  of  immeasurable  knowl- 
edge. Astronomy  has  brought  within  the  scope  of  our 
intellectual  vision  boundless  fields,  all  radiant  with  starry 
gems,  which,  when  plied  with  telescopic  aid,  become  a 
resplendent  galaxy  of  worlds,  all  fitted  up  for  the  habita- 
tion and  happiness  of  immortal  beings  like  ourselves. 
Nothing,  perhaps,  like  these  discoveries,  enlarges  the 
boundaries  of  human  thought,  elevates  man  above  him- 


180  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

self — makes  him  feel  the  original  nobility  of  his  nature— 
the  divine  lineage  of  his  race,  and  at  the  same  time,  that 
he  is  but  a  speck  of  wide  creation,  a  polluted  speck  of 
insignificance : — nothing  so  effectually  magnifies  in  his 
estimation  the  great  and  eternal  God,  or  gives  him  such 
sublime,  extatic  ideas  of  the  magnificent  empire  over 
which  God  sways  the  sceptre,  and  of  the  importance  of 
His  law,  and  the  necessity  that  he  sustain  its  awful 
sanctions — nothing  so  makes  guilty  man  feel  how  unpar- 
donable his  guilt,  how  fearful  his  condition — how  infinite 
are  God's  resources  by  which  to  make  his  enemies 
wretched  or  his  friends  happy. 

Had  science  done  no  more  than  to  spread  out  before 
us  the  fields  developed  by  modern  astronomy,  it  would 
deserve  a  mention  in  this  connection.  It  presents  man, 
in  his  relations  to  the  universe,  as  a  nobler  being.  It 
furnishes  his  devotion  with  new  motives.  It  creates  in- 
creased incentives  to  Christian  activity.  It  enhances  in 
our  esteem  the  value  of  the  immortal  soul.  If  to  be  allied 
to  a  king  be  an  honor — if  to  be  the  son  of  an  earthly  po- 
tentate furnish  motives  strong  enough  to  move  the  whole 
soul,  what  is  it  to  be  allied  to,  to  be  Son  of  the  great 
King  ?  heir  of  the  only  Potentate,  the  King  of  kings  and 
the  Lord  of  lords  ?  A  science  which  throws  open  to  us 
so  much  of  the  material  magnificence  of  Jehovah,  can- 
not, when  sanctified,  but  make  the  Christian  a  more  no- 
ble, devoted,  active  being,  and  cherish  a  caste  of  piety 
more  efficient  for  the  conversion  of  the  world. 

But  there  are  sciences  of  less  pretension,  whose  late 
piipgress  yet  more  directly  contributes  to  the  advance- 
ment and  permanent  establishment  of  Christianity.  We 
cannot  contemplate  recent  advancements  in  philosophy, 
natural  history,  geography,  chemistry,  mineralogy,  ge- 
ology, or  the  many  useful  discoveiies  and  inventions  of  a 
few  past  years,  or  the  present  condition  of  religious 
knowledge  or  biblical  study,  without  the  delightful  con- 
viction that  Christianity  is  fast  gathering  strength,  and 
rallying  her  forces  for  the  conquest  of  the  world. 

The  inventions  of  human  skill ;  the  applications  of 
science  and  knowledge  to  the  useful  purposes  of  life,  con- 
tribute to  the  comfort,  convenience  and  improvement  of 


THE    USES    OF    SCIENCE.  181 

man  ;  facilitate  his  labor,  multiply  his  resources,  and 
make  him  a  nobler  and  more  influential  being ;  better 
fitted  to  serve  his  God,  and  to  do  good  to  man.  By  these 
means  the  use  of  minerals  and  metals  are  brought  to  his 
aid ;  new  substances  are  discovered,  and  new  uses  ascer- 
tained of  those  already  known ;  his  wealth  is  increased, 
and  of  consequence  his  means  of  doing  good.  Jn  his 
improved  condition  man  is  another  kind  of  being ;  belongs 
to  another  order  of  things — which,  under  the  reign  of  the 
Messiah,  God  is  about  to  introduce. 

The  earth  is  a  vast  magazine.  Treasured  in  its  bowels 
are  minerals,  metals  and  precious  stones,  which,  when 
drawn  out  and  wrought  and  applied  to  use,  become  the 
means  of  almost  every  improvement  which  distinguishes 
a  barbarous  from  a  civilized,  intelligent  and  free  people. 
Instruments,  machinery,  weapons  of  war  and  peace,  ma- 
terials and  apparatus  for  book-making,  publishing  and 
circulation ;  the  means  of  navigation,  and  of  locomotion 
on  land  and  through  the  air,  and  all  the  manifold  ma- 
chinery which  augments  the  energies,  increases  the  com- 
forts and  promotes  the  general  improvement  of  mankind, 
are  drawn  out  of  the  earth.  Geography  ascertains  their 
location,  natural  history,  in  her  departments  of  geology 
and  mineralogy,  penetrates  the  earth  and  points  them  out 
to  the  research  and  skill  of  man.  Chemistry  there  erects 
her  laboratory,  and  by  a  great  variety  of  patient  and  inter- 
esting experiments,  ascertains  their  properties  and  capa- 
bilities, and  takes  cognizance  of  their  changes ;  while 
natural  philosophy  steps  in  to  point  out  the  phenomena, 
which,  in  different  aspects  and  changes  they  exhibit,  the 
laws  by  which  they  are  governed,  and  the  uses  to  which 
they  may  be  applied.  But  for  the  aid  of  these  sciences, 
in  searching  out  and  applying  the  properties  of  the  inag- 
net,  the  mariner  would  have  still  been  feeling  his  way 
along  his  native  shore.  The  few  books  we  should  have 
would  be  executed  by  the  tedious  and  expensive  process 
of  the  pen  ;  and  for  the  want  of  an  acquaintance  with  the 
uses  of  iron,  we  should  be  thrown  back  into  the  darkness 
of  barbarism.  The  inventions  and  discoveries  which 
now  so  much  bless  the  world  and  favor  the  improvement 

16 


182  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

of  man,  would  never  have  been  made.*  America  and 
many  islands  of  the  sea,  and  other  large  territories,  had 
not  been  discovered.  Most  of  the  world  had  remained  a 
bleak  waste,  a  roaming  ground  for  a  few  savages  ;  and 
the  few  nations  which,  from  natural  proximity,  would 
form  some  neighborhood  relations,  had  been  raised  but 
little  above  a  state  of  barbarism.  Commercial  relations 
had  not  existed  ;  and  nearly  all  the  advantages  derived 
from  international  communication  had  been  wanting. 
The  interchange  of  thoughts  by  means  of  books,  travel- 
ing and  commerce  would  be  almost  unknown.  Isolated 
man  would  never  rise  above  the  in  statu  quo  position  of 
his  insignificance  and  ignorance. 

If,  under  God,  the  plastic  hand  of  science  has  done  so 
much  already,  to  re-mould  and  improve  the  world ;  so 
much  to  jorepare  the  nations  to  receive  the  gospel  and  to 
facilitate  its  diffusion,  while,  as  yet,  science  itself  has  been 
but  half  fledged  for  its  more  adventurous  flight,  what 
may  we  not  expect  through  her  instrumentality,  when 
she  shall  arrive  at  the  state  of  perfection  towards  which 
she  is  so  rapidly  tending?  Nature  has  but  begun  to  yield 
up  her  resources  to  facihtate  the  progress  of  human  cul- 
ture and  moral  improvement.  Science  but  begun  to  ap- 
propriate these  resources  to  the  universal  amelioration  of 
our  race.  Yet  already  we  see  enough  to  confirm  the 
hopes  of  expectant  piety  and  our  confidence  in  God's  un- 
erring word,  that  Providence  is  gathering  up  his  resources, 
and  preparing  his  machinery  for  a  mighty  onward  move- 
ment in  the  work  of  redemption. 

Th^t  the  condition  of  the  world  is  rapidly  advancing, 
is  not  only  the  hope  of  many,  and  the  general  expectation 
of  all,  but  there  are  yet  more  tangible  grounds  for  our 
anticipations.  There  has  recently  grown  up  in  the  heart 
of  man  almost  everywhere  a  strange  and  unprecedented 
sensibility  to  all  that  pertains  to  the  best  interests  of  man. 

*  Few  are  aware  of  the  immense  and  multifarious  facilities  and  resources  which 
have  been  furnished  through  .science,  to  counteract  physical  evil,  to  improve  the  condi- 
tion of  society  ;  to  promote  social  and  domestic  enjoyment,  and  to  facilitate  the  pro- 
gress of  tl^ie  race  in  every  useful  and  ornamental  art.  Among  these  we  may  name  the 
steam  for  locomotion  ;  gas  for  lights  and  balloons ;  Davy's  safety  lamp  ;  the  cotton 
gin;  magnetic  telegi-aphs,  mariner's  compass,  &c. 

The  Millenium  may  be  less  a  result  of  supernatural  agency  than  is  generally  supposed. 


THE    SCIENCE  OF    ETHNOLOGY.  183 

Is  there  a  vice  that  afflicts  humanity,  that  vice  is  assailed 
as  an  enemy  of  the  race.  Is  there  oppression,  persecu- 
tion, ignorance,  superstition ;  any  foe  to  the  progress  and 
well-being  of  man,  the  genius  of  modern  philanthropy  is 
instantly  roused  in  remonstrance,  and  fired  with  indigna- 
tion, and  demands  redress,  the  expulsion  and  decapitation 
of  the  foe.  So  prevalent  and  all-controlling  is  such  a 
sentiment  now,  that  Mammon  and  Infidelity  itself  are 
obliged  to  render  homage  to  it.  Infidelity  no  longer  sits 
growling  in  the  cavern  of  his  dark  misanthropy.  He 
sees  he  must  come  out  and  mingle  with  his  race,  and  put 
on  the  garments  of  charity.  He  appears  in  the  stolen 
robes  of  Christianity,  the  philanthropist,  the  reformer, 
the  Christian.  His  virulence  has  taken  the/o?'7?i  of  com- 
passion for  man.  The  advancement  and  highest  inter- 
ests of  his  race  are  his  ostensible  aim.  Though  he  strike 
with  the  same  weapon,  his  sword  is  unsheathed  for  truth  ; 
though  he  kill  with  the  same  poison,  it  is  poison  disguised 
in  the  sweets  of  paradise. 

But  the  thought  presents  itself  in  a  more  pleasing 
aspect.  The  human  intellect  and  human  research  are, 
at  the  present  day,  remarkably  employed  in  promoting  a 
common  brotherhood  of  our  race,  and  in  advancing  its 
highest  interests.  Late  advances,  not  only  in  the  sciences 
of  history,  geography  and  philosophy,  but  yet  more  in 
archeology,  corri'paratwe  philology,  and,  especially,  in  eth- 
nology, are  most  effectually  contributing  to  bring  all  the 
kindreds  and  tribes  of  the  great  family  of  man  unto  one 
great  brotherhood,  and  to  protect  and  advance  the  in- 
terests of  every  member.  The  new  science  of  ethnol- 
ogy, for  the  cultivation  of  which  there  is  already  a  re- 
spectable organization  in  this  country,  is  peculiarly  pro- 
ducing such  a  result.  For  the  object  of  this  science,  as 
the  name  imports,  is  the  study  of  man  as  a  social  being ; 
as  the  member  of  a  family,  tribe,  or  nation.  Whatever 
relates  to  man  in  his  physical  being ;  his  races,  habits, 
locations,  sustenance  or  language  ;  and  all  that  connects 
the  present  and  past  generations  as  component  parts  of 
the  one  great  human  family ;  their  intellectual  efforts, 
their  sciences,  their  struggles,  their  progress  of  develop- 
ment, are  comprised  in  the  objects  of  this  science.     "  It 


184  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

is  the  science  and  history  of  the  human  race  itself,  and 
of  the  relations  in  which  it  stands  towards  itself,  and 
towards  the  external  world." 

Never  before  was  science  contributing  so  generously 
to  prepare  the  world  for  its  universal  emancipation. 
Railways,  steamships,  magnetic  telegraphs,  are  penetra- 
ting into  and  astounding  the  most  benighted  regions. 
"  Franklin  drew  the  lightning  from  the  clouds,  but  Morse 
gave  it  voice,  and  bade  it  go  forth  and  speak  to  every 
nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue.  It  is  the  voice  which 
is  to  enter  the  darkest  recesses  of  the  heathen  world  and 
teach  them  how  degradingly  they  contrast  with  the 
genius  which  gave  it  utterance." 

The  advanced  state  of  knowledge  here  supposed,  is 
necessary  to  the  full  development  and  revelation  -of  ti^uth. 
Even  the  written  revelation  is  to  us,  and  has  been  in  all 
passed  ages,  a  progressive  revelation.  As  God  had  regard 
to  the  then  condition  of  society,  the  existing  condition  of 
knowledge,  civilization  and  improvement,  in  originally 
making  known  his  will,  imparting  the  light  as  the  world 
was  able  to  receive  it ;  in  like  manner  the  book  contain- 
ing this  revelation,  emits  more  or  less  light,  according  to 
the  existing  condition  of  the  human  mind  and  the  human 
heart,  and  according  to  the  advanced  condition  of  the 
world.  The  sun  always  shines  the  same,  though  the 
quantity  of  sunshine  toe  may  enjoy,  will  vary  as  clouds 
intercept  our  rays.  Truth  is  the  same,  however  different 
may  be  the  quantity  apprehended  by  us. 

Biblical  knowledge,  the  science  of  theology,  has  also 
wonderfully  advanced  within  the  few  past  years.  Bibli- 
cal researches  have  been  casting  new  light  on  the  sacred 
page,  or  rather  educing  new  light  from  it.  The  most 
laudable  progress  is  now  making  in  those  collateral 
studies  which  bring  us  to  the  study  of  the  Bible  with  new 
interest  and  zest,  and  make  the  sacred  volume  the  repos- 
itory to  us  of  more  available  truth  than  it  has  ever  been 
before.  The  true  principles  of  interpretation  are  being 
better  understood  ;  the  most  pleasing  advances  have  re- 
cently been  made  in  sacred  geography,  history  and  arch- 
eology ;  and  thus  the  Bible  is  made  to  shed  a  clearer  and 
a  more  profuse  light ;  duty  becomes  plainer  and  more  im- 


CIVILIZATION    ADVANCING.  185 

perative  ;  the  promises  richer  and  more  comprehensive ; 
the  threatenings  more  terrific  ;  God  more  lovely  to  the 
obedient,  more  dreadful  to  the  wicked.  The  motives 
for  extending  the  gospel  are  increased,  and  the  guilt  of 
neglect  aggravated.  Again,  the  Bible  has  been  transla- 
ted into  more  than  one  hundred  and  sixty  different  lan- 
guages, enabling  as  many  tribes  and  nations  to  read  the 
word  of  God  in  the  tongue  in  which  they  were  born. 
Already  is  the  Bible  unsealed  to  every  principal  nation 
on  earth. 

Or  if  we  turn  to  the  execution  of  our  benevolent  pur- 
poses in  spreadi7ig  the  gospel,  we  shall  not  the  less  feel 
our  indebtedness,  under  God,  to  the  facilities  in  question. 
It  is  only  among  a  free,  intelligent,  and  civilized  people, 
that  are  found  the  qualifications  and  resource's,  for  appre- 
ciating and  prosecuting  the  work  of  Foreign  Missions. 
In  no  other  work  is  there  brought  in  requisition  such  a 
combination  of  moral,  mental  and  physical  power. 

Learning  of  all  sorts  is  now,  to  an  unprecedented  ex- 
tent, made  to  subserve  the  cause  of  truth.  Eloquence, 
poetry,  history,  literature,  science,  the  arts  and  philoso- 
phy, are  all  made  to  contribute  their  respective  quotas  to 
defend,  enrich,  adorn  and  advance  the  truth. 

We  are  also  indebted  to  modern  improvements  for  the 
cheapness  and  rapidity  with  which  books  are  made  and 
circulated  in  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  earth.  A 
single  Bible  Society  manufactures  a  thousand  Bibles  a 
day.  Yet  we  have  by  no  means  arrived  at  perfection 
here.  All  these  improvements  are  progressive,  and  are 
yearly  progressing.  And  we  should  indeed  be  blind  to 
the  movements  of  an  ever-busy  Providence,  if  we  did 
not  discern  in  them  mighty  preparations  for  the  onward 
progress  of  His  cause. 

And  so  I  may  say  in  respect  to  the  present  advanced 
and  advancing  state  of  civilization.  Never  before  was 
the  world  so  nearly  civilized  ;  and  never  so  many  and 
such  powerful  means  at  work  to  make  civilization  uni- 
versal. The  political,  literary  and  commercial  suprem- 
acy of  the  two  or  three  most  civilized  nations,  cannot 
but  exert  a  powerful  influence  on  the  whole  barbarian 

16* 


186  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

world,  to  which  they  either  give  law  or  hold  in  some  sort 
of  dependence. 

The  bearing  of  this  on  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  is  too 
obvious  to  need  comment.  It  prepares  the  way  of  the 
Lord  before  him.  It  provides  a  soil  made  ready  for  the 
good  seed.  It  fm-nishes  the  resomxes  by  which  to  sus- 
tain the  institutions  of  Christianity  when  once  established, 
and  to  make  it  permanent,  and  to  extend  its  blessings 
over  fields  which  lie  still  beyond.  Both  the  agency  and 
the  design  of  Providence  are  here  abundantly  obvious. 

There  remains  one  other  particular  not  to  be  over- 
looked :  It  is  the  advanced  and  the  still  advancing  progress 
of  freedom.  Christianity  has  as  little  affinity  to  despot- 
ism and  tyranny,  as  to  ignorance  and  barbarism  ;  and  we 
cannot  but  hail,  as  especially  auspicious  to  the  diffusion 
of  the  gospel,  every  advancement  in  the  cause  of  free- 
dom. But  as  we  turn  our  eyes  again  towards  the  revolv- 
ing wheels  of  Providence,  what  do  we  find  God  hath 
wrought  here  ?  How  is  he  already  bringing  the  nations 
of  the  earth  into  a  state  that  shall  give  to  the  Prince 
of  Peace,  and  to  the  religion  of  meekness  and  mercy,  an 
unmolested  dwelling  on  earth. 

Political  liberty  has,  within  a  few  years,  made  rapid 
advances.  Government  has  become  a  science.  The 
will  of  an  individual  has  ceased  to  be  law.  It  is  now 
very  generally  conceded  that  the  design  of  government 
is  to  secure  the  welfare  of  the  governed.  Not  a  poten- 
tate in  Europe  can  sit  on  his  throne  without  conceding 
in  some  form  this  principle.  Absolute  despotism  is  al- 
most antiquated.  "A  monster  of  so  frightful  mein,"  has 
slunk  away  before  the  light  of  liberty,  into  the  dark 
regions  of  ignorance  and  barbarism.  The  public  senti- 
ment of  mankind  has  undergone  an  astonishing  revolu- 
tion during  the  last  century.  The  progress  of  free  prin- 
ciples has  been  by  no  means  confined  to  America.  The 
seed  which  took  such  deep  root  in  the  bosoms  of  the 
Puritans  of  the  seventeenth  century,  had,  if  not  so  rapid 
and  ostensible,  as  sure  and  sturdy,  a  growth  in  Europe  as 
in  America.  Here,  committed  to  an  unoccupied  soil, 
they  took  readier  root,  and  sprung  up  more  luxuriantly ; 
there  they  struck  their  roots  not  the  less  deep,  or  ascended 


THE    LATE    POPE,    AND    LIBERTY.  187 

with  not  the  less  perseverance,  though  obstructed  in 
their  ascent  by  a  previous  growth. 

Since  the  upheaving  of  Europe,  by  the  wars  of  Napo- 
leon Bonaparte,  there  is  not  a  nation  in  Europe  which 
has  not  made  progress  in  liberal  principles.  All  things 
have  been  verging  towards  constitutional  and  represen- 
tative government.  Revolutions  in  France,  Prussia, 
Saxony,  Spain  and  Portugal,  cannot  be  mistaken,  as  out- 
bursts of  the  pent  up  spirit  of  liberty.  And  so  we  may 
say  of  the  late  revolutionary  movements  in  Ireland, 
Scotland,  Germany,  Switzerland,  and  even  in  Italy. 
They  are  the  upheavings  of  the  suppressed  fires  of  lib- 
erty, giving  no  doubtful  premonitions  of  the  no  distant 
downfall  of  the  grim  throne  of  despotism. 

The  policy  pursued  by  the  present  Pope  pays  a  hom- 
age to  liberty  which  we  scarcely  expected.  Driven  by 
the  force  of  public  sentiment,  and  the  conviction  of  an 
advanced  condition  of  the  world  in  point  of  liberty,  the 
Pope  of  unchanging  Rome  so  far  changes  the  policy  of 
Rome  as  to  make  a  sort  of  concession  to  constitutional 
government,  and  to  grant  his  subjects  a  sort  of  constitu- 
tion ;  and  in  some  other  respects  to  relax  the  rigid  mus- 
cles of  despotism  which  have  always  characterized  Rome. 
We  will  not  accept  this  as  an  index,  that  Rome  has  at 
heart  changed,  but  that  the  world  has  changed,  and  that 
Rome  feels  if  she  would  live  in  the  world,  she  must,  in 
some  degree,  conform  herself  to  the  advanced  condition 
in  which  she  finds  the  world.  Had  we  been  ignorant 
before  of  the  present  progress  of  liberty  and  the  increase 
of  light  in  the  world,  the  line  of  policy  pursued  by  the 
present  Pope  would  keep  us  informed  on  these  matters. 
As  a  concession  to  these  degenerate  times  of  liberal  prin- 
ciples, Pius  IX.  has  instituted  a  system  of  national  repre- 
sentation in  the  shape  of  a  council  of  delegates  from  the 
different  provinces,  who  are  to  assemble  at  Rome  for  the 
purpose  of  discussing  with  the  government  the  affairs  of 
the  administration,  and  aiding  it  in  its  efforts  for  the  good 
of  the  people.  This  measure  has  been  hailed  by  the  Pope's 
subjects  with  the  liveliest  demonstrations  of  joy  and 
thanksgiving.  And  well  it  might  be  ;  for  this  was  a  new 
thing  from  the  pontifical  throne.     In  the  palmier  days  of 


188  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Rome,  despotism  and  darkness  were  the  order  of  Papal 
rule.  Then  the  Scriptures  and  the  Fathers  of  the  Church 
were  quoted  as  proof  that  Columbus  was  a  heretic  and  an 
infidel  for  suggesting  there  was  another  continent ;  and  a 
clergyman  actually  published  a  sermon  to  show  that  Jen- 
ner,  for  endeavoring  to  check  the  ravages  of  the  small- 
pox, was  the  beast  of  the  Apocalypse. 

The  present  popular  movement  of  Italy  is  a  matter  of 
intense  interest  to  the  whole  Christian  world.  It  looks 
like  the  precursor  of  an  explosion  which  shall  blow  to 
atoms  the  throne  of  despotism  throughout  Europe.  The 
times  are  ominous  of  eventful  changes  in  Europe.  Aus- 
tria, and  all  Catholic  Germany  is  rocked  on  a  volcano. 
The  stagnations  of  Spain  and  Portugal  are  moving,  and 
France  seems  every  year  approaching  nearer  the  verge 
of  revolution.  "  Indeed,"  says  Dr.  Baird,  "  I  think  that 
all  continental  Europe  is  going  to  be  shaken  to  its  very 
centre  before  many  years  pass  away."* 

Late  acts  of  toleration  in  Turkey,  India  and  China, 
herald  the  approach  of  universal  freedom.  The  Emperor 
of  China  has  recently  issued  an  edict,  in  reply  to  the  pe- 
tition of  Keying,  High  Imperial  Commissioner,  granting 
toleration  to  Christianity.  The  law^  of  inheritance  in  In- 
dia has  recently  been  so  modified  as  to  remove  the  former 
disabilities  which  Hindoos  suffered  on  becoming  Chris- 
tians. Caste  is  no  longer  a  legal  disability.  Young  Hin- 
doos from  mission  schools  are  alike  eligible  to  office  with 
those  from  government  schools.  And  the  Sultan  of  the 
Turkish  empire  has  favored  a  system  of  respresentative 
government  and  of  common-school  education ;  and  more 
recently  the  Sublime  Porte  has  issued  an  order  for  the 
protection,  as  Protestants,  of  the  evangelical  Armenians. 
A  hatti  sherif  (order  of  the  cabinet)  was  issued  by  the 
Sublime  Porte  in  1841,  placing  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Turkish  empire  upon  a  footing  of  equal  rights.  And 
though  insurmountable  difficulties  to  its  execution  have  as 
yet  stood  in  the  way,  it  is  a  presage  of  the  rising  spirit  of 
liberty,  even  in  that  most  despotic  nation.  And  more  re- 
cently still — at  the  late  annual    feast  called    "Courban 

*  These  pages  were  penned  before  the  eventful  RevoUition  of  1848. 


PROGRESS    OF    LIBERTY.  189 

Beiram" — an  imperial  order  was  issued,  constituting  the 
Protestant  subjects  of  the  empire  into  a  separate  and  in- 
dependent community,  like  that  of  the  Armenians,  Greeks 
or  Latins. 

"Reform,"  says  Mr.  D  wight,  "is  the  order  of  the  day 
in  every  department  of  the  Government.  The  Sultan 
and  his  ministers  are  laboring  to  do  away  with  old  abuses, 
and  to  secure  to  every  man  his  rights.  The  power  of 
inflicting  capital  punishment  for  apostasy  from  Moham- 
medanism, has  been  taken  away  from  the  Turk ;  and  the 
Sultan  has  given  a  solemn  pledge  to  the  English  embas- 
sador, that  there  shall  be  no  more  religious  persecution  in 
his  Einpire.  Sir  Statford  Canning  is  disposed  to  stand 
firmly  on  this  ground,  and  insist  on  it  as  a  conceded  right, 
that  men  shall  not  persecute  for  religious  opinion." 

In  Hunga7y,  the  law  against  entering  the  Protestant 
communion  is  abrogated.  Every  inhabitant  may  adopt 
which  church  he  please,  Romish  or  Protestant,  without 
annoyance.  Under  the  former  law  of  intolerance,  eight 
hundred  to  one  thousand  Protestants  embraced  Popery 
yearly  ;  under  the  law  of  tolerance,  nine  hundred  Roman- 
ists in  one  year  have  come  over  to  the  Reformed  faith, 
and  only  thirty-five  have  gone  to  Romanism.  And  what 
is  much  in  point  here,  and  truly  surprising,  the  cabinet  of 
Vienna  abrogated  the  oppressive  law. 

There  has,  too,  during  the  same  period,  been  a  corres- 
ponding movement  to  loose  the  chains  of  personal  bond- 
age. The  time  was  when  one  half  of  the  world  might 
kidnap  and  enslave,  under  circumstances  which  makes 
the  blood  run  cold  in  its  currents,  the  other  half,  reduce 
them  to  "durance  vile,"  and  continue  them  in  cruel 
bondage  at  pleasure,  and  yet  scarcely  a  whisper  of  re- 
monstrance be  raised  in  defence  of  rights  so  egregiously 
violated.  But  another  spirit  is  now  moving  on  the  face 
of  the  deep.  It  is  the  spirit  of  universal  freedom.  Slavery 
is  fast  passing  away,  to  be  numbered  among  the  works  of 
darkness  that  luere — a  relic  of  barbarism.  The  jubilee- 
trumpet  sounded,  in  1834,  throughout  the  realms  of  the 
British  empire.  The  West  Indies  were  made  free;  and 
since  that  time  the  same  glad  sound  has  been  heard  in 
India ;  at  Malacca,  Penang  and  Singapore ;  among  the 


190  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

forty-five  millions  of  the  serfs  of  Russia ;  in  Wallachia ; 
at  Algiers,  and  among  the  Moors  at  the  strong  piratical 
haunt  at  Tunis ;  in  the  republic  of  Uruguay  and  Monte- 
video, South  America,  and  on  the  island  of  Trinidad.  The 
slave  trade  has  been  abolished  by  the  Imaum  of  Muscat, 
the  Shah  of  Persia,  and  throughout  the  Turkish  empire. 

It  was  announced  some  time  ago  that  the  slave  trade 
had  been  abolished  by  the  Bey  of  Tunis.  It  now  appears 
that  slavery  is  fast  coming  to  an  end  there.  A  letter 
from  Malta,  1842,  says,  "I  went,  while  in  Tunis,  to  see 
the  demolished  slave  market.  Hundreds  of  years,  human 
beings  had  been  exposed  for  sale  in  that  place,  like  cattle. 
How  strange,  that  a  Mussulman  state  should  tear  down 
that  den  of  traffick  for  the  bodies  and  souls  of  men,  while 
in  Christian  America  this  foul  system  still  flourishes  in 
such  vigor !  I  made  many  inquiries  as  to  the  feeling  of 
the  Moors  on  this  subject.  I  am  most  happy  to  say  that 
the  greater  part  are  in  favor  of  the  Bey,  while  all  obey. 
If  slaves  are  now  sold  in  Tunis,  it  is  contraband,  and  with 
the  greatest  secresy.  The  prohibition  is  complete  and 
absolute.  And  many  of  the  courtiers  of  the  Bey,  follow- 
ing his  noble  example,  are  liberating  their  slaves." 

The  General  Assembly  of  Wallachia  having  passed  an 
act  of  emancipation,  March,  1847,  Prince  Bibesco,  (the 
head  of  the  government,)  with  whom  this  truly  magnan- 
imous act  of  philanthropy  originated,  thanked  the  head  of 
the  Church  and  the  Assembly  for  having  passed  a  law 
which,  as  he  said,  the  spirit  of  the  age  and  the  progress 
of  civilization  had  so  long  demanded. 

The  French  Chambers  have  begun  the  work  of  eman- 
cipation in  their  colonies.  Indeed,  the  whole  world  is 
coming  to  a  sense  of  justice  on  this  subject — not  only 
Christendom,  but  Moslems  and  barbarians.  The  slave 
trade,  with  almost  united  voice,  is  branded  as  piracy  by 
all  nations.  Indeed,  such  has  become  the  pubhc  senti- 
ment of  all  Christendom  and  of  the  whole  civilized  world 
on  this  subject,  that  no  nation  may  be  the  supporters  and 
abettors  of  slavery,  except  at  the  peril  of  its  good  reputa- 
tion. Philanthropy  will  weep,  and  humanity  will  point 
the  finger  of  scorn. 

Other  indications  that  international  relations  are  as- 


PROGRESS    OF    LIBERTY.  191 

suming  an  auspicious  aspect  in  respect  to  the  universal 
extension  of  the  gospel,  may  be  read  in  the  records  of  a 
Congress  of  nations  which  from  time  to  time  meet  to  ad- 
just affairs,  otherwise  adjusted  by  balls  and  bayonets  —of 
world's  Conventions,  which  do  much  to  cement  national 
ties ;  and  of  arbitrations  instead  of  arms,  by  which  to 
compromise  disputes.  Not  long  since,  commissioners  from 
England,  Russia,  Turkey  and  Persia  met  at  Erzeroom, 
"  to  settle  disputed  boundaries,  and  to  arrange  other  diffi- 
culties." 

Nations,  that  by  a  proud  isolation  had  strongly  barri- 
caded themselves  within  the  walls  of  a  hateful  and  repul- 
sive despotism,  have  been  invaded  by  the  light  of  liberty 
and  the  love  of  Christianity.  Austria,  with  all  her  argus- 
eyed  vigilance,  cannot  shut  out  the  all-pervading  genius 
of  liberty.  Already  has  it  cheered  with  the  hope  of  better 
things,  the  cottages  of  the  poor,  and,  with  fearful  omen, 
looked  in  at  the  windows  of  palaces.  And  China,  though 
ensconced  within  a  yet  higher  wall,  has  been  compelled 
to  surrender,  and  to  condescend  to  the  mutual  courtesies 
of  national  intercourse.  Her  strong-holds  are  broken 
down  ;  her  walls  of  brass  are  razed  ;  her  gulph  of  separa- 
tion from  European  intercourse  is  bridged.  The  great 
family  of  nations,  so  long  estranged,  is  being  drawn  to- 
gether, becoming  acquainted,  and  learning  their  mutual 
duties.     The  world  is  becoming  free. 

The  Press,  too,  has  been  emancipated  from  its  former 
shackles ;  religion  is  breaking  loose  from  the  domination 
of  priestcraft ;  opinion  is  becoming  free  ;  discussion  un- 
trammeled ;  and  the  feeling  is  fast  taking  possession  of 
the  human  mind,  that  man  must  everyw]ie7~e  he  free. 

Thus,  again,  has  God  prepared  his  way  before  him. 
He  has  made  ready  the  field ;  and  may  we  not  now  ex- 
pect that  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  shall  send  forth  his  la- 
borers profusely  to  scatter  the  seed,  and  in  due  time  to 
gather  an  abundant  harvest  ?  All  things  are  now  ready  ; 
the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  stretched  out,  and  who  shall  turn 
it  back  ?  He  is  preparing  the  world  for  the  kingdom  of 
his  Son,  and  shall  not  the  Prince  and  the  Saviour  speedily 
come  and  take  possession  ?  Ride  forth,  victorious  King, 
conquering  and  to  conquer,  till  the  kingdoms  of  this  world 


192  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

become  the  kingdom  of  our  Lord.  Hushed  be  the  voice 
of  war ;  palsied  be  the  arm  of  Despotism,  that  Rehgion, 
pure  and  undefiled,  the  first-born  of  Heaven,  the  immor- 
tal daughter  of  the  skies,  may  find  a  peaceful  dwelling  on 
earth. 

10.  I  shall  advert  to  but  one  other  particular  :  Within 
the  last  generation,  God,  in  the  vast  revolutions  of  his  prov- 
idence, has  removed,  to  a  great  extent,  the  most  formidable 
obstacles  to  the  universal  spread  of  the  gospel.  The  mighti- 
est bulwarks  behind  which  Satan  has  ever  intrenched 
himself  are  Paganism,  the  religion  of  Mohammed,  and  the 
Papacy.  The  great  desideratum  in  the  council-chamber 
of  the  infernal  king  has  always  been  how  man's  innate 
religious  feeling  should  be  satisfied,  and  yet  God  not  be 
served.  How  could  the  heart  be  kept  fram  God,  the 
clamors  of  conscience  be  silenced,  and  yet  the  demands 
of  an  instinctive  religious  feeling  be  answered  ?  The  arch 
enemy  of  man's  immortal  hopes  solved  the  problem.  The 
solution  appears  in  the  cunning  devices  he  has  sought 
out  by  which  to  beguile  unwary  souls.  He  has  varied 
his  plans  to  suit  times  and  circumstances,  the  condition  of 
man,  the  progress  of  society,  the  character  of  human  gov- 
ernments, and  the  condition  of  the  human  mind. 

Idolatry,  multiform  in  its  systems,  yet  one  in  essence 
and  spirit,  concedes  to  reason  and  conscience  the  exist- 
ence of  one  supreme  God,  yet  disrobes  this  divine  Being 
of  the  attributes  which  make  him  God,  by  multiplying 
subordinate  deities,  attributing  to  them  the  most  unwor- 
thy characters,  and  making  them  the  chief  objects  of 
worship.     Knowing  God,  they  glorify  him  not  as  God. 

Such  a  religion  was  suited  to  a  gross  age  of  the  world, 
— an  age  of  subtilty  and  ambition  on  the  part  of  a  few, 
and  superstition,  debasement  and  ignorance  on  the  part 
of  the  many.  But  when  Christ  had  come,  and  new  light 
had  risen  on  the  world,  and  the  general  condition  and 
character  of  man  had  advanced,  the  same  object  was 
gained  through  two  great  modifications  of  idolatry,  bet- 
ter adapted  to  the  intellectual  and  moral  condition  of  the 
world.  Western  Asia,  and  a  part  of  Africa,  became 
too  much  illumined  by  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  longer 
to  submit  to  idolatry  in  its  grosser  form.     Hence  for 


OBSTACLES    REMOVED.  193 

those  regions  there  was  got  up  a  reformed  Paganism, 
yclept  Mohammedanism,  taking  the  place,  and  subserving 
the  purposes  of  idolatry  in  its  original  form. 

While  among  the  more  contemplative  nations  of  Eu- 
rope, vi^here  the  public  mind  had  become  still  more  en- 
lightened and  advanced,  and  could  not  be  satisfied  even 
with  Paganism  reformed  and  partly  Christianized,  Chris- 
tianity had  to  \iQ  paganized.  Europe  would  be  Christian. 
So  mote  it  be,  said  Satan  ;  and  old  pagan  Rome  rose 
again  to  life  by  his  enchantments, — and  he  clothed  this 
monstrous  image  in  a  garb  stolen  from  Heaven's  ward- 
robe, and  commanded  all  men  to  worship  it.  The  reli- 
gion of  Rome  is  the  last  new  edition  of  the  same  old 
idolatry,  with  a  new  title,  amended,  enlarged,  on  finer 
paper,  with  gilt  edging  and  better  bound,  suited  to  the 
spirit  and  taste  of  the  age. 

These  are  the  three  strong-holds  of  human  depravity 
and  Satanic  power,  by  which  man's  arch  foe  has  from 
generation  to  generation  held  the  human  mind  in  the 
most  abject  thraldom. 

Now  what  I  affirm,  is,  that  these  three  enormous  sys- 
tems of  iniquity  are  on  the  wane.  Such,  in  the  irresist- 
ible movements  of  Providence,  have  been  the  overturn- 
ings  among  the  nations,  that  their  great  power  to  bind 
and  to  trample  under  foot  the  immortal  mind,  is  broken. 
Paganism  is  in  its  dotage.  It  evidently  belongs  to  a  con- 
dition of  the  world  which  is  rapidly  passing  away.  Mo- 
hammedanism, embodying  in  itself  the  seeds  of  its  own 
dissolution,  already  bears  marks  of  decrepitude,  and  only 
lives  and  stands  as  it  is  propped  up  by  a  little  doubtful 
political  power.  And  Romanism,  though  in  its  dying 
spasms  it  ever  and  anon  exhibits  an  unnatural  return  of 
former  life,  presents  no  doubtful  marks  of  its  approaching 
doom.  We  are  not  ignorant  of  the  strange  phenomena 
at  Oxford,  or  of  Rome's  unnatural  appearance  of  youth 
and  vigor  in  America.  While  she  is  gaining  individuals 
in  England,  and  making  a  desperate  struggle  to  gain  a 
foothold  in  the  new  world,  she  is  losing  whole  provinces 
in  Europe.  Look  at  the  general  condition  of  Romanism. 
How  many  of  its  limbs  have  already  perished, — how 
many  more  are,  to  all  human  appearance,  doomed  to  a 

17 


194  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

speedy  decay.  What  mean  the  ruins  of  the  Papacy  over 
a  great  part  of  Asia,  and  in  Central  and  South  America  ? 
The  Inquisition  once  flourished  in  India,  in  all  the  bloody 
pre-eminence  of  torture  and  death  ;  and  China,*  and  Ja- 
pan, were  the  arena  of  numerous  and  flourishing  churches. 
But  where  now  are  the  walls  of  its  dismal  dungeons ;  its 
courts  of  inquest ;  the  gorgeous  palaces  of  its  inquisitors, 
and  its  horrific  implements  of  torture  ?  They  are  crum- 
bled to  the  dust.  The  hand  of  Heaven's  vengeance  has 
passed  over  them  and  left  them  but  the  ruined  monument 
of  deadly  intolerance.  And  what  m.ean  those  ruined 
heaps  of  colleges,  schools,  chui'ches  and  other  public  edi- 
fices, met  on  the  islands  of  Bombay  and  Salsette,  in 
Goozaret,  and  on  the  whole  western  coast  of  India  ? 
Or  the  vast  dilapidations  of  Central  and  South  America  ? 
A  late  traveler  in  Central  America  speaks  of  passing 
seven  ruined  churches  in  a  single  day,  and  of  finding  as 
many  more  under  a  single  curate.  Edifices,  two  or  three 
hundred  feet  in  length,  and  of  proportionate  dimensions, 
of  solid  structure,  and  costly  materials,  and  elegant  archi- 
tecture, once  the  receptacles  of  vast  multitudes  of  Rome's 
faithful  and  most  bigoted  sons,  are  either  a  ruinous  heap, 
or  the  decaying  sanctuaries  of  a  miserable  remnant  of  a 
once  flourishing  church. 

Surely  the  wheels  of  Providence  are  rolling  on.  Ob- 
stacles which  have  so  long  hindered  the  progress  of  the 
everlasting  gospel,  are  fast  being  removed.  The  arm  of 
Omnipotence  is  made  bare.  God  is  doing  a  "  new  thing" 
on  the  earth ;  He  is  "  making  a  way  in  the  wilderness, 
and  rivers  in  the  desert." 

In  concluding  what  I  designed  to  say  on  the  facilities, 
which,  as  results  of  providential  movements,  the  present 
age  affords  for  the  speedy  and  universal  spread  of  the 
gospel,  and  the  complete  establishment  of  Messiah's  king- 
dom, many  useful  and  interesting  reflections  might  be 
appended.     The  present  aspects  of  Providence  towards 


*  Such  was  the  success  of  Popery  in  China,  that  many  mandarins  embraced  its 
doctrines  ;  one  province  alone  contained  ninety  churches,  and  forty-five  oratories.  A 
splendid  church  was  built  within  the  palace.  The  mother,  wife  and  son  of  the  Empe- 
ror, Yung  Ceith,  professed  Christianity,  and  China  seemed  on  the  eve  of  being  united 
to  the  papal  see. 


RECAPITULATION.  195 

our  world  are  most  solemn  and  delightful.  What  over- 
powering arguments  here,  urging  us  on  to  duty.  Does 
God  carry  out  his  plans  through  human  instrumentality  ? 
How  loudly,  then,  do  the  movements  of  his  Providence 
call  us  to  be  willing  instruments.  Never  before  were  we 
so  imperatively  urged  to  more  fervency  of  spirit,  to  more 
diligence  in  duty.  The  wheels  of  Providence  now  run 
high  and  fast,  leaving  behind  them  more  events  in  ten 
years  than  was  wont  a  little  while  ago  to  transpire  in  a 
hundred  years. 

To  give  point  and  pungency  to  such  reflections,  allow 
the  eye  to  take  a  retrograde  glance  over  the  extraordi- 
nary providential  developments  which  I  have  named. 
How  singularly  has  God  confided  to  the  two  most  civil- 
ized and  Christian  nations, — the  Anglo-Saxon  race, — 
vast  heathen  territories,  and,  by  extensive  commercial 
relations,  connected  them  with  every  nation  on  the 
face  of  the  earth  ;  how  diffused  is  the  English  language  ; 
how  popular  European  habits,  manners  and  dress,  and 
the  improvements,  experience  and  laws  of  civilized  na- 
tions ;  what  unwonted  improvements  in  modes  of  con- 
veyance, and  the  faciUties  of  an  enlarged  post-office  sys- 
tem ;  how  is  the  clangor  of  war  hushed,  and  the  world 
left  in  almost  universal  peace  ;  what  recent  advances  in 
knowledge,  civilization  and  freedom  ;  and  how  has  the 
vigor  departed  from  those  mighty  systems  of  false  reli- 
gions which  have  heretofore  beguiled  Christianity  of  the 
fairest  portions  of  the  earth. 

Let  us  ponder  these  things,  and  be  wise  ;  wait  and 
work ;  pray  and  watch,  till  the  end  be,  that  we  may  rest, 
and  stand  in  our  lot  at  the  end  of  the  days ! 


CHAPTER  XL 

The  field  prepared.  General  Remarks ;— First,  Papal  countries,  or  Europe; 
their  condition  now,  and  fifty  years  ago.  France— the  Revolution— Napoleon. 
1845,  an  epoch  ;— present  condition  of  Europe.  Character  of  her  monarchs.  Cath- 
olic countries ;— Spain  and  Rome— Austria— France,  an  open  field.  France  and 
Rome.  Geneva.  Benevolent  and  reforming  societies.  Religion  in  high  places. 
Mind  awake.    Liberty.     Condition  of  Romanism  and  Protestantism. 

*'  Lift  up  your  eyes^  and  look  on  the  fields ;  for  they  are  white 
already  to  harvest. — John  iv.  35. 

We  have,  in  the  two  preceding  chapters,  •  spoken  of 
the  hand  of  God  as  visible  in  the  facilities  which  the 
present  state  of  the  world,  and  condition  of  man,  affords 
to  the  universal  spread  of  the  gospel.  We  now. proceed 
to  a  survey  of  our  next  topic. 

2.  The  present  aspect  of  the  world  as  a  field  open  for 
the  admission  of  the  gospel. 

More  than  a  general  survey  of  so  vast  and  complica- 
ted a  field,  would  transcend  our  prescribed  limits.  Be- 
fore attempting  any  geographical  delineation  of  the  great 
missionary  field,  I  shall  direct  attention  to  some  of  its 
general  features.  A  brief  survey  will  carry  conviction 
to  the  mind  that  the  ever  busy  hand  of  Providence  has 
brought  the  world  into  a  position  peculiarly  favorable  to 
receive  the  gospel.  I  have  spoken  of  the  rank  assigned 
by  Providence  to  the  two  great  Protestant  nations.  By 
territorial  importance,  commercial  relations,  and  intellec- 
tual and  moral  superiority,  England  and  America  hold  in 
their  hands  the  destinies  of  the  world.  Why  did  North 
America  so  soon  pass  into  Protestant  hands,  if  not  to 
give  the  religion  of  the  Reformation  a  wider  field  and  a 
fertile  soil,  that  it  might  bear  fruit  for  the  enriching  of 
the  nations  ?  Why  did  not  the  magnificent  empire  of  the 
Moguls  in  Hindoostan  either  remain  in  the  hands  of  the 
Portuguese, — and  there  seemed  no  earthly  reason  why  it 
should  not, — or  pass  into  the  possession  of  Russia,  France, 
Holland  or  Turkey  ?     France  fixed  an  eager  eye  on  the 


SUCCESS  AND  PROGRESS.  197 

East,  and  lost  no  advantage  to  gain  it.  Russia  has  long 
•been  watching  for  it,  and  Holland  called  much  of  it  her 
own.  Yet  England  has  unfurled  her  banner  over  the 
strong-holds  of  more  than  one  hundred  millions  of  Hin- 
doos, and  virtually  rules  over  more  than  thrice  that  num- 
ber in  Farther  India  and  China.  Why  are  these  populous 
nations  of  idolatry  laid  at  the  feet  of  Protestantism,  if 
not  that  they  may  learn  the  living  oracles  of  God  ?  Why 
is  Paganism  grown  old  and  ready  to  die,  and  Mohamme- 
danism only  propped  up  by  interested  civil  power,  and 
Romanism  struggling  to  prolong  a  morbid  existence,  by  a 
spasmodic  activity  which  betokens  corruption  at  the 
heart,  and  mortification  in  the  extremities,  if  it  be  not 
that  those  things  which  are  "  ready  to  die,"  have  nearly 
come  to  an  end  ?  What  means  the  recent  unparalleled 
progress  in  civilization,  government,  freedom  and  knowl- 
edge, if  it  be  not  that  the  great  controlling  mind  has  pur- 
poses of  vast  moment  to  answer  by  such  resources  ? 

The  press  has  been  made  the  handmaid  of  Christianity, 
and  the  improvements  in  the  arts,  advancements  in  sci- 
ence, inventions  and  discoveries,  have  been  made  to  sub- 
serve the  cause  of  evangelical  religion,  and  to  propagate 
it  over  the  earth.  Such,  too,  is  the  political  condition  of 
the  world  as  to  invite  our  benevolent  efforts  to  send  the 
gospel  to  almost  every  nation. 

Could  we  for  a  moment  entertain  the  idea  of  abandon- 
ing the  work  of  missions,  we  should  meet  a  severe  rebuke 
from  the  finger  of  Providence,  pointing  to  the  success 
which  has  already  crowned  the  but  partial  efforts  of  the 
church  to  convert  the  world,  and  the  munitions  of  war 
already  accumulated  to  complete  the  conquest.  More 
than  fifteen  hundred  efficient  missionaries  are  this  mo- 
ment in  the  field,  some  scorching  beneath  a  meridian  sun, 
some  shivering  amid  the  eternal  snows  of  Lapland, — oc- 
cupying more  than  twelve  hundred  principal  stations,  and 
many  subordinate  ones,  traversing  vast  regions  of  heathen 
territory,  and  preaching  the  unsearchable  riches  of  the 
cross  to  some  millions  of  the  votaries  of  idolatry.  This 
sacramental  host  is  assisted  by  above  five  thousand  na- 
tive and  other  helpers,  and  by  not  less  than  fifty  print- 
ing establishments.     They  number  in  their  ranks  some 

17* 


198  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

two  hundred  thousand  communicants  in  their  different 
churches,  and  a  yet  larger  number  of  children  and 
adulte  in  their  schools.* 

But  such  statistics  do  not,  perhaps,  introduce  us  to  the 
most  accurate  estimate  of  missionary  labor  and  success. 
Take  another  series  : — the  Bible  has  been  translated  into 
more  than  one  hundred  and  sixty  languages,  or  principal 
dialects,  spoken  by  seven  hundred  and  fifty  millions  of 
the  earth's  population.  Thousands  of  associations  are 
in  operation  for  publishing  and  circulating  the  sacred 
volume,  and  more  than  thirty  million  copies  or  portions 
of  the  Bible  have  been  put  in  circulation  since  1804. 
Half  this  number  has  been  issued  during  this  period  by 
the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  alone. 

Corresponding  to  this,  too,  is  the  progress  of  education 
among  the  unevangelized,  the  demand  for  schools,  and 
Christian  books,  and  advancement  in  the  useful  arts  and 
in  general  knowledge.  It  is  a  fact  of  much  interest,  that, 
in  tiie  order  of  things,  induced  by  missionary  labors  and 
influences,  the  Bible  is  the  first  and  the  principal  book 
brought  to  the  notice  of  the  heathen.  This  is  usually 
the  first  book  translated  into  the  vernacular  tongue,  and 
sometimes  the  only  one  to  which  their  more  aspiring 
youth  may  resort  for  assistance  in  their  great  eagerness 
to  learn  the  English  language. 

We  cannot  pursue  this  general  survey  without  every- 
where discerning  the  busy  Hand  of  preparation  compass- 
ing ends  of  vast  magnitude  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 
The  way  of  the  Lord  is  preparing  before  him  ;  and  not 
to  discern  the  special  interposition  of  Providence  here, 
would  be  to  close  our  eyes  against  the  noonday  sun. 
But  a  general  view  does  not  suffice  here.  Allow  the  eye 
once  more  to  pass  over  the  world.  Geographical  or  po- 
litical boundaries  will  not  subserve  our  purpose  at  pres- 
ent, so  well  as  religious  or  moral  divisions.  Spread  be- 
fore you,  then,  a  map  adjusted  to  the  fourfold  religious 
distinctions  of  Papal,  Pagan,  Jewish  and  Mohammedan, 
including  the  lapsed  Christian  churches  of  the  East. 
We     begin    with  Papal  countries.     In  our  survey  of 

*  See  Dr.  John  Harris'  Great  Commission. 


PRESENT    STATE    OF    EUROPE.  199 

the  field  over  which  Romanism  breathes  its  withering 
breath,  our  remarks  may  be  chiefly  confined  to  the  south 
of  Europe,  The  rehgion  of  Rome  is  by  no  means  con- 
fined within  these  Hmits  ;  yet  her  territories  beyond,  are 
but  colonies  from  the  parent  stock.  As  the  trunk  is  full 
of  vigor  and  life,  or  as  it  withers  and  dies,  so  are  the 
branches.  Popery,  in  South  America,  in  the  East  or 
West  Indies,  in  Central  America  or  Canada,  cannot  re- 
tain the  strength  of  its  manhood,  if  there  be  weakness  or 
decay  at  the  seat  of  life  in  Italy,  or  in  France,  Spain  and 
Austria. 

What  is  the  present  state  of  Europe,  compared  with 
its  condition  fifty  years  ago, — and  what  the  present  con- 
dition of  Romanism,  and  of  Protestantism  ?  An  answer 
to  these  queries  will  present  Europe  before  us  as  a  field 
open  to  evangelical  labor,  and,  by  consequence,  indicate 
the  measure  of  our  duty. 

We  are  struck  with  admiration  at  the  change  which 
Europe  has  passed  through  during  the  last  half  century. 
It  is  but  fifty-three  years,  (Oct.  10th,  1793,)  since  France 
*'  voted  Christianity  out  of  existence,"  and  with  impious 
hands  assailed  the  Temple  of  Truth,  and  decreed  that 
one  stone  should  not  be  left  on  another,  till  the  whole 
should  be  thrown  down  ;  and  in  the  temple  which  she 
built,  she  set  up  her  image,  the  goddess  of  reason.  And 
the  reign  of  terror  which  followed,  was  terrific  and  bloody 
beyond  any  thing  recorded  in  the  annals  of  the  apostasy. 
Revelation  was  trodden  under  foot,  and  evangelical  piety 
scouted  from  the  nation.  Her  voic^  was  nowhere  heard, 
except  as  echoed  in  blood  and  groans,  or  from  the  remote 
valley  or  solitary  glen. 

Indeed,  the  religious  history  of  France  is  exceedingly 
bold  and  instructive,  greatly  abounding  in  materials  suited 
to  my  present  purpose.  France  early  received  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Cross — early  corrupted  them — and,  though 
bigoted  and  superstitious,  she  readily  admitted  the  Re- 
formed religion  of  Germany.  Two  thousand  Protestant 
churches  were  established  in  France  during  the  first 
twenty  years  of  the  Reformation.  Protestantism  took 
deep  root  and  flourished  ;  and  was  at  length  protected  by 
the  famous  Edict  of  Nantes,  which  was  extended  over 


200  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

them  by  Henry  IV,,  himself  a  Catholic.  Under  this  be- 
nign shield,  Protestantism  prospered  for  nearly  a  century. 
At  length  times  grew  dark,  clouds  gathered.  The  perfidy 
and  artifice  of  Richelieu  first  sought  to  beguile  the  Pro- 
testants into  the  Romish  communion.  Priestly  rage  and 
cruel  bigotry  then  assailed  them.  The  Jesuits  had  de- 
creed their  ruin  ;  and  the  weak  and  credulous  Louis  XIV., 
trampling  on  the  most  solemn  obligations,  and  regardless 
of  all  laws,  human  or  divine,  revoked  the  Edict  of  Nantes, 
and  let  loose  the  blood-hounds  of  persecution  on  the  de- 
fenceless Protestants.  Thousands,  hundreds  of  thousands, 
now  became  voluntary  exiles  from  their  country.  A 
dark  century  followed.  Its  history  is  written  in  blood — 
disgraced  with  outrage,  superstition  and  crime.  The 
church  was  corrupt,  the  nation  a  hot-bed  of  iniquity. 
An  explosion  was  inevitable.  It  came  in  1789.  It  was 
as  if  a  volcano  had  discharged  its  fiery  contents  on  all 
Europe.  It  was  "  fire  and  blood,  and  vapor  of  smoke."  Yet 
this  was  the  signal  of  better  things — the  lowering  cloud, 
the  fearful  thunder,  and  the  vivid  lightning  which  often 
precede  a  smiling  sunshine.  It  was  the  explosion  of 
French  infidelity,  licentiousness  and  despotism.  For  a 
time  the  sun  was  darkened,  and  the  moon  was  turned  to 
blood ;  the  sea  and  the  waves  roaring,  and  men's  hearts 
failing  them.  But  the  atmosphere  was  purified.  The 
terrific  reign  of  Napoleon  did  much  to  advance  the  cause 
of  Hberty.  The  return  of  the  Bourbons  could  not  sup- 
press the  spirit  of  reform  and  of  freedom,  which  had  now 
taken  deep  root  in  France.  The  revolution  of  1830  was 
a  report  of  progress.  And  the  yet  more  decisive  revolu- 
tion of  1848  brings  us  a  further  report  of  the  doings  of 
that  ever  watchful  Providence,  in  whose  hands  are  held 
the  destinies  of  France. 

In  Spain  and  Portugal  the  flickering  light  of  Protest- 
antism was  almost  immediately  quenched  in  the  blood  of 
the  Inquisition.  The  voice  of  piety  was  stifled.  No 
one  dared  read  the  word  of  God,  much  less  to  give  the 
sacred  volume  to  his  neighbor,  or  to  favor  the  cause  of 
education.  Italy,  under  "the  very  thunders  of  the  Vati- 
can, was  completely  barricaded  from  the  Reformed  reli- 
gion.    Belgium,   the  South   of    Germany,  Austria,    and 


THE  CONDITION  OF  EUROPE.  201 

every  foot  of  Papal  territory  in  Europe,  were  almost  en- 
tirely inaccessible  to  the  introduction  of  Protestantism  in 
any  form.  An  iron-handed  religious  despotism  would 
tolerate  nothing  but  the  religion  of  Rome.  Neither  the 
press  might  propagate,  nor  education  foster,  nor  the  pul- 
pit enforce  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  the  Catholic  states  of 
Europe.  Nor  was  there  much  more  than  a  nominal 
Protestantism  in  the  Northern  states  of  Europe.  The 
heart  of  the  Germans  had  stagnated  in  rationalism,  while 
the  Hollander,  the  Dane,  and  the  Swede,  lay  dormant  in 
a  frigid  orthodoxy.  Protestantism  was  hushed  in  the 
slumbers  of  spiritual  death,  Rome  imposed  her  yoke,  and 
immortal  mind,  long  debased  and  humbled,  scarcely  felt 
the  galling  bondage. 

But  this  general  stagnation  was  soon  to  be  broken  up. 
The  "  reign  of  terror"  came,  and  in  its  bloody  footsteps 
followed  the  terrific  reign  of  Napoleon.  Heretofore  the 
atmosphere  had  been  murky  and  mortiferous.  The  earth 
yet  exhaled  the  bloody  vapor  of  the  revolution,  and  a 
lurid  sky  still  bespoke  the  angry  frown  of  indignant 
Heaven.  The  heavens  are  again  overcast — the  thunders 
roar  ;  the  lightnings  blaze — Europe  is  convulsed — the 
earth  is  terribly  shaken.  The  hero  of  Corsica  comes — a 
burning  comet  rolling  over  all  Europe.  Every  green 
tree  is  burnt  up — thrones  are  crushed — kingdoms  crum- 
ble— the  foundations  of  the  great  deep  are  broken  up. 
As  the  wars  of  the  crusades,  by  the  eruptions  they  pro- 
duced in  the  civil,  social  and  religious  state  of  Europe, 
were  active  causes  introducing  the  notable  revolution  of 
the  sixteenth  century,  so  we  may  regard  the  terrific 
career  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte  as  the  fearful  ushering  in 
of  a  new  and  glorious  dispensation  in  the  Christian 
church.  Out  of  the  dark  and  tempestuous  sea  which 
then  brooded  over  Europe,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  rose 
with  renewed  radiance.  From  that  period  the  scarlet 
beast  has  staggered  from  weakness,  and  Protestantism 
has  been  gathering  up  her  strength,  and  buckling  on  her 
armor.  The  date  of  1815  is  destined  to  be  as  illustrious 
in  the  annals  of  the  Christian  church  as  it  is  in  the  great 
world  of  politics. 


202  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

The  wars  of  Napoleon  were  singularly  the  scourge  of 
European  infidelity,  and  the  means  of  its  correction. 
Euroi)e  felt  that  a  mighty  hand  was  stretched  over  her, 
and  she  trembled.  The  French  revolution  had  spread 
the  pall  of  death  over  Christianity.  Revelation  was  de- 
throned, and  to  rationalism  and  infidelity  were  given  the 
empire  of  Europe.  This  was  the  portentous  calm  that 
followed  the  strange  commotions  of  1793.  Nor  was  it 
strange  that  another  concussion  should  undo  what  the 
revolution  had  done.  The  devastating  wars  of  Napoleon 
produced  a  shock  which  taught  all  Europe  that  Jehovah 
is  the  God  of  nations  ;  that  an  appeal  in  this  hour  of 
wide-spread  catastrophe  must  be  made  only  to  Him,  and 
that  the  time  had  come  when  Eternal  Justice  would  vin- 
dicate the  rights  of  nations.  Says  the  Emperor  Alexan- 
der, of  Russia,  who  from  about  this  time  to  his  death  is 
believed  to  have  been  a  humble  follower  of  the  Lamb, 
"  the  burning  of  Moscow  lighted  the  flame  of  religion  in 
my  soul ;"  and  he  did  but  speak  the  thoughts  of  many 
hearts,  as  the  car  of  the  conqueror  rolled  on.  "  I  was  a 
youth,"  says  Professor  Tholock,  from  whose  authority  I 
derive  these  facts,  "  when  Germany  was  called  to  contend 
for  her  freedom.  But  I  well  remember  that  this  memora- 
ble event  awakened  religious  desires  in  hearts  that  had 
remained,  till  then,  strangers  to  every  Christian  sentiment. 
Every  one  was  penetrated  with  this  thought,  that  if  aid 
came  not  from  on  high,  none  was  to  be  expected  on  earth ; 
and  that  the  moment  was  come  for  the  display  of  the 
Eternal  Justice  which  governs  the  world."  The  inhab- 
itants of  Prussia,  in  particular,  felt  this ;  and  from  this 
time  the  heart  of  their  king  was  open  to  the  truths  of 
Christianity.  Germany  began  to  feel  that  she  could  not, 
in  so  grave  a  period,  forsake  the  God  of  her  fathers. 

From  this  time  evangelical  religion  was  revived — the 
writings  of  the  Reformers,  which  had  been  neglected  and 
despised,  were  now  read  and  revered — the  anniversary 
of  the  Reformation  was  celebrated  in  1817 — sermons, 
books,  lectures,  science,  literature,  theology,  from  this 
time,  bore  the  impress  of  the  reformed  religion.  Schools, 
religious  and  philosophical  associations,  and  the  press, 
bear  a  living  and  delightful  testimony  in  favor  of  a  pure 


THE  CONDITION  OF  EUROPE.  203 

Christianity,  There  undoubtedly  arose  out  of  the  trou- 
bled waters  of  Napoleon's  reign  a  spirit  of  advancement 
in  religion,  in  general  intelligence,  in  free  institutions,  in 
the  science  of  government,  and  in  the  better  understand- 
ing of  human  rights.  That  such  results  should  come  out 
of  scenes  so  terrific  and  unpropitious,  is  but  another 
illustration  of  the  w^orkings  of  that  inscrutable  Providence 
w^hich  bringeth  order  out  of  confusion,  and  good  out  of 
evil.* 

Europe  and  the  world  once  more  hushed  in  peace,  the 
angel  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  recom- 
menced his  flight. 

From  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  June  18th,  1815,  com- 
menced a  new  era  in  education  throughout  Europe. 
Read  the  records  of  Prussia,  Sweden,  Denmark,  Norway. 
The  loud  demand  for  education  by  the  common  people 
of  Europe  dates  no  farther  back  than  1815 ;  and  the  late 
improvements  in  modes  of  education  are  equally  modern. 
It  is  since  that  date  that  Prussia  has,  in  some  respects, 
outstripped  even  republican  America  in  the  education  of 
her  people — that  Sweden  has  surpassed  any  other  country 
in  great  scholars  and  literary  enterprise — that  national 
school  systems  and  parish  district  schools  have  been  in- 
troduced into  monarchical  Europe. f 

It  was  from  that  eventful  period,  too,  that  the  American 
church  had  given  her  eagle's  wings  that  she  might  fly  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth,  bearing  to  the  famishing  nations 
the  bread  of  life.  And  it  was  upon  the  clearing  away  of 
the  dark  chaos  which  disappeared  with  the  sulphurous 
smoke  of  Waterloo,  that  there  arose  a  beautiful  constel- 
lation of  benevolent  societies,  whose  light  has  already 
shone  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  And,  finally,  from  that 
same  period,  civil  and  religious  liberty  has  been  advancing 
by  sure  and  rapid  strides,  and  the  physical  and  political, 
the  moral  and  religious  character  of  Europe  has  under- 
gone astonishing  ameliorations.  The  press  has,  in  a  great 
degree,  been  manumitted  from  a  thraldom  of  many  cen- 
turies ;  and  Europe,  in  spite  of  Rome  and  the  Vatican,  is 


•  Mr.  Headly,  in  his  book,  entitled  "  Napoleon  and  his  Marshals,"  confirms  the 
views  advanced  above,  which  were  penned  more  than  five  years  since. 
t  Dr.  Robert  Baird'e  Northern  Europe. 


204  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY- 

in  the  rapid  progress  of  receiving  a  Christian  Hterature. 
Europe,  as  a  field  for  the  circulation  of  the  Bible  and 
rehgious  books,  was  never  open  as  it  now  is ;  and  never 
the  Bible  so  extensively  read.  For  several  years  past, 
two  hundred  thousand  copies  of  the  Bible  have  been  put 
in  circulation  in  France  alone :  or  more  than  three  mill- 
ions since  the  battle  of  Waterloo— and  as  many  copies 
of  the  New  Testament.  In  Belgium,  till  recently  one 
of  the  most  bigoted  and  superstitious  of  the  Papal  states, 
there  have  been  circulated,  within  the  same  period,  three 
hundred  thousand  copies  of  the  sacred  volume  ;  and  there 
has  been  a  large  distribution,  through  every  nation  in 
Europe,  not  excepting  Spain,  Portugal  and  Italy.* 

The  late  religious  excitement  in  France,  the  movement 
under  Ronge  and  Czerski  in  Germany,  the  late  evangelical 
movement  in  Scotland,  and  the  tendencies  to  the  same 
result  in  England — the  late  manly  and  self-denying  re- 
sistance to  oppression  of  the  evangelical  pastors  of  Swit- 
zerland, the  numerous  conversions  of  Jews,  and  the  in- 
creased interest  felt  in  their  behalf,  indicate  the  sure 
designs  of  Providence  in  the  spread  of  the  gospel  over 
all  those  Papal  countries.  They  are  the  pillar  of  cloud 
and  of  fire  going  before  the  people  of  God,  to  lead  them 
to  victory  and  to  glory. 

In  France,  says  one  who  has  resided  several  years  in 
the  country,  "  the  most  encouraging  accounts  of  the  pro- 
gress of  truth  are  coming  to  us  from  all  parts  of  the 
kingdom.  The  masses  of  the  people  are  demanding  the 
Bible  ;  and  in  some  places,  the  dignitaries  of  the  church 
are  coming  down  from  their  lofty  positions,  and,  in  self- 
defence,  are  giving  the  famishing  multitudes  the  Bread  of 
Life,  which  they  have  so  long  withheld.  Thousands  of 
Romanists  desire  the  word  of  God.  The  feeling  con- 
tinues and  extends.  The  people  are  tired  of  the  yoke  of 
the  priests.  If  we  had  ten  times  as  much  money,  and 
ten   times   as   many  men,  they  could  all  be  immediately 


•In  Belfrium  the  demand  for  the  Bible  is  unprecedented  :  and  the  decree  of  the 
Bishop  of  Rome  against  the  reading  of  it,  only  excites  the  curiosity  of  the  people,  and 
makt^s  th.ni  more  anxious  to  procure  a  book  the  Pope  is  afraid  of  In  Holland  great 
iiumb.-r.s  ol  the  sacred  Scriptures  have  been  distributed,  as  also  among  the  Carpathian 
mountains.  In  Ireland,  too,  more  than  forty  Romish  priests,  and  forty  thousand  lay- 
men have,  within  a  few  ytars,  come  over  to  the  Protestant  church. 


PRESENT    STATE    OF    EUROPE.  205 

employed.  It  would  be  easy  to  open  a  new  church  every 
month,  every  week,  and  to  cover  with  churches  all 
France."  In  the  department  of  "  Saintonge,  forty  com- 
munes are  open  to  the  Evangelical  Society — in  Yonne, 
twenty  important  posts  are  accessible."  "  What  is  now 
passing  under  our  eyes  is  somewhat  like  what  occurred  in 
France  in  the  age  of  the  Reformation,"  when  two  thou- 
sand Reformed  churches  were  established  in  France 
during  the  first  twenty  years. 

Nor  is  this  movement  by  any  means  confined  to  France. 
In  Germany,  while  there  is  scarcely  less  of  development, 
there  is  perhaps  more  of  an  undercurrent  in  favor  of 
evangelical  principles.  The  phlegmatic  mind  of  Ger- 
many was,  perhaps,  never  more  awake.  The  intellec- 
tual movement  is  a  strong  one,  pervading  Romanists  and 
Protestants,  Rationalists  and  the  evangelical ;  and  we 
may  expect  the  utterance  shall  not  be  less  distinct  than 
the  cogitation,  when  the  day  for  action  shall  fully  come. 
Such  a  day  has  begun  to  dawn.  The  Reformation  of 
Ronge  and  Czerski,  though  not  so  evangelical  and  ortho- 
dox as  we  could  wish,  is  a  great  movement,  when  re- 
garded in  its  anti-Romish  character.  It  has  fearlessly 
raised  the  standard  of  revolt  from  Rome ;  and  we  may 
take  the  readiness  with  which  tens  of  thousands  rally 
about  this  standard,  as  a  signal  of  the  ripeness  of  Germany 
to  disenthral  herself  from  spiritual  bondage.  The  Ronge 
movement  was  commenced  in  1844,  by  eighteen  persons, 
who  were  in  the  habit  of  meeting  in  a  small  town  in 
Germany,  to  study  the  Scriptures.  Two  years  from  that 
time,  it  was  stated  by  Doctor  Guistiniana,  that  there  "  is 
not  a  kingdom,  duchy  or  town  in  Germany,  where  there 
is  not  a  Reformed  church."  The  whole  number  of  dis- 
senting Catholics  who  have  attached  themselves  to  the 
new  communion  under  Ronge  and  Czerski,  is  estimated 
to  be  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  who  assemble  in 
more  than  three  hundred  places  for  public  worship. 

This  anti-Romish  movement  is  finding  its  way  among 
the  immigrant  German  population  of  America,  where  it 
is  making  progress  under  auspices  more  favorable  to  truth 
than  in  Germany.  The  late  meeting  of  Germans  in  the 
Tabernacle,  New- York,  1846,  "to  declare  publicly  their 

18 


206  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

secession  from  Rome,  and  to  form  themselves  into  a 
Christian  church,  recognizing  the  Bible  as  their  only 
rule  of  faith  and  practice,"  was  a  delightful  token  for 
good  to  our  country,  to  the  German  people  among  us, 
and  to  the  triumph  of  the  truth.* 

Nor  may  we  overlook  in  this  survey,  the  condition  of 
Romanism  in  South  America,  in  Central  America  and  in 
Mexico.  "  Things  throughout  South  America  are  now 
exceedingly  favorable  to  the  introduction  of  the  gospel. 
The  severance  of  South  America  from  the  European 
world,  has  tended  greatly  to  weaken  the  hold  of  Popery : 
and  every  day  the  field  is  becoming  wider  and  riper  for 
the  harvest." 

And  Central  America  and  Mexico  are  essentially  in  the 
same  condition.  Romanism,  like  thousands  of  its  tem- 
ples, is  there  in  a  state  of  dilapidation.  Every  revolu- 
tion is  at  the  expense  of  the  despotism  of  the  priesthood. 
Mexico,  just  at  this  time,  is,  providentially,  brought  into 
a  condition  of  great  interest  in  a  religious  point  of  view. 
Precisely  what  God  will  bring  out  of  the  unrighteous  war 
we  are  waging  against  Mexico,  we  cannot  predict.  We 
cannot  but  indulge  the  sanguine  expectation  that  this 
war,  however  unjust  and  unnecessary  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States,  is,  in  the  permissive  purposes  of  God,  a 
providential  occurrence,  that  shall  overthrow  another  of 
the  strong- holds  of  popery,  and  open  a  vast  field  for  the 
diffusion  of  the  principles  of  the  Reformation  and  the 
Bible.  A  reverend  gentleman  writing  from  Mexico, 
says  a  political  party  exists  there  whose  avowed  object 
is  to  limit  the  power  of  the  priests  ;  to  confine  them  to 
their  proper  duties  ;  to  break  down  the  overgrown  re- 
ligious establishments  of  the  country,  and  to  devote  their 
great  wealth  to  the  cause  of  popular  education.  They 
are  not  protestants,  yet  they  desire  to  have  the  Scrip- 
tures circulated  as  a  means  of  opening  the  eyes  of  the 
people  to  the  abuses  of  the  church. 

*  Another  meeting,  a  sign  of  the  times,  too,  has  taken  place  in  the  Broadway  Taber- 
nacle. It  was  a  meeting  of  Protestants  to  congratulate  Pope  Pius  IX.,  on  account  of 
his  liberal  principles!  And  another  meeting  still,  the  New  England  Society,  the  genu- 
Inf  de.'ictndams  of  the  Puritans,  to  be  sure— all  good  Protestants— not  a  Jesuit  among 
thtrn— niel,  lorsooth.  to  commemorate  the  spiritual  emancipation  of  their  fathers— with 
Bishop  Huphes  for  their  invited  guest,  and  a  toast  and  congratulations  for  Bishop 
Hughes'  master  at  Rome  !  ! 


THE  M0NARCH3  OF  EUROPE.  207 

Another  general  feature  of  the  present  condition  of 
Europe,  betokening  the  hand  of  God  at  work  for  her  ame- 
lioration, is  the  character  of  her  present  monarchs. 

How  different  the  noble-minded  and  republican  king, 
Bernadotte,  who  has  just  vacated  the  throne  of  Sweden, 
from  the  super-aristocratic  Gustavus,  III.,  and  his  weak, 
unstable  son,  who  jointly  occupied  the  throne  from  1792 
to  1809.  And  the  present  incumbent  of  the  Swedish 
throne  is  spoken  of  by  Dr.  Baird,  as  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting men  in  Europe.  The  son  of  Bernadotte,*  is  a 
man  near  45  years,  he  was  Chancellor  of  the  University 
of  Upsula ;  a  man  of  extensive  knowledge  and  fine  lite- 
rary attainments,  and  deeply  interested  in  modern  im- 
provements and  benevolent  enterprises.  The  Queen, 
too,  is  spoken  of  as  a  most  lovely  character,  the  mother 
of  five  interesting  children,  a  daughter  and  four  sons,  who 
are  said  to  be  admirably  brought  up. 

Or  compare  the  present  intelligent  King  of  Denmark 
with  the  imbecile  Christian  VII.  ;  or  the  pious,  noble- 
hearted  King  of  Prussia,  and  his  saintly  Queen,  with  any 
of  the  line  of  excellent  Princes  who  preceded  him,  and 
you  cannot  overlook  the  interesting  fact  that  Providence 
has  so  disposed  of  the  political  power  of  Northern  Eu- 
rope, as  beautifully  to  throw  open  those  nations  to  receive 
a  pure  gospel. 

Or  if  we  extend  the  comparison  to  the  present  com- 
paratively liberal  and  enlightened  policy  of  the  cabinets 
of  the  Catholic  powers  of  Europe,  we  shall  discern  the 
hand  of  God  quite  as  industriously  at  work  to  prepare  the 
soil  of  Europe  for  the  good  seed  of  the  word. 

Spanish  despotism  has  appeared  so  modified  in  some 
recent  movements  of  the  Cortes,  as  to  foster  the  hope  of 
some  important  amelioration.  Convents  are  abolished 
and  their  vast  revenues  taken  away  ;  all  recourse  to  mass 
dispensations  forbidden,  and  all  confirmations  of  eccle- 
siastical appointments  rejected.  Henceforth  no  money 
shall  be  sent  to  Rome,  nor  any  nuncio  from  thence  be 

*  Bernadotte  was  a  Frenchman  ;  a  Marshal  in  the  army  of  Napoleon  ;  elected  by  the 
Diet  Crown  Prince  of  Sweden,  1810;  made  king,  1818;  a  man  of  noble  mein,  of  a 
liberal  mind,  sound  judgment,  engaging  manners,  and  an  amiable  heart ;  a  patriarchal 
king,  and  an  honest  man. 


208  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

allowed  to  reside  in  Spain.  This  virtual  separation  from 
Italy  cannot  but  work  a  mighty  change  in  Europe,  and 
set  in  motion  an  influence  which  shall  not  stop  till  it 
reach  the  Andes  of  South  America.  Austria,  too,  has 
become  more  liberal ;  and  Italy  has  been  obliged  to  relax 
her  iron  sinews  in  her  wholesale  dealing  of  despotism 
among  the  nations.  Indeed,  there  has  been  a  very 
marked  progress  of  civil  liberty  in  Europe  during  the  last 
half  century. 

But  would  we  get  a  true  picture  of  Europe  as  a  field 
inviting  the  evangehcal  laborer,  we  must  direct  the  eye 
to  France.  What  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States 
are  to  the  world,  France  is  to  the  Papal  world.  Indeed, 
France,  once  evangelized,  would  take  her  place  among 
the  "three  mighties."  Should  she  not  be,  "the  most 
honorable  of  three,"  yet  she  should  have  a  "  name  among 
three."  The  Anglo-Saxon  race  excepted,  no  nation  has 
so  great  an  influence  over  mankind  as  France.  Her 
language  is  the  court  language  of  nearly  all  Europe. 
The  nations  of  the  continent  are  wont  to  receive  their 
philosophy  at  her  hands,  and  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  her 
Gamaliels.  And  not  only  Europe,  but  the  ends  of  the 
earth  would  feel  the  evangelization,  not  to  say  of  France, 
but  merely  of  the  French  capital. 

We  may,  therefore,  judge  of  the  prospects  of  Europe 
by  the  encouragement  and  reception  which  evangelical 
labors  meet  in  France. 

I  have  alluded  to  the  fact  that  200,000  copies  of  the 
Bible  have  recently  been  put  in  circulation  in  France,  in 
a  single  year,  33,000  sold  by  colporteurs  in  three  months  ; 
and  more  than  3,000,000  since  1815.  When  the  London 
Missionary  Society  sent  a  deputation  to  France,  1802,  to 
inquire  into  the  state  of  religion,  and  publish  the  New 
Testament  in  the  French  language,  it  required  a  search 
of  four  days  among  the  booksellers  of  Paris,  before  a  copy 
of  the  Bible  could  be  found.  And  it  is  but  thirty  years 
since  you  would  have  scarcely  found  an  orthodox,  evangel- 
ical minister  in  France,  or  a  pious  Frenchman,  who  was 
willing  to  be  employed  as  a  colporteur  or  an  evangelist. 
Great  as  has  been  the  change  in  Protestantism  since  the 
purchase  of  peace  by  the  blood  of  Waterloo,  it  has  been 


EVANGELIZATION    OF    FRANCE.  209 

vastly  greater  since  the  revolution  of  1830.  A  pure  gos- 
pel is  preached  in  hundreds  of  places,  more  than  it  was 
at  that  period.  Now  hundreds  of  Frenchmen  glorv  in 
the  cross,  in  being  willing  to  submit  to  toil,  trial  "and 
obloquy  for  the  good  work's  sake.  Bibles  are  now  pub- 
lished and  offered  for  sale  in  the  city  and  the  country,  in 
the  chief  marts,  and  at  the  door  of  the  private  cabin, 
while  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  it  was  almost  impossi- 
ble to  find  a  single  copy  in  any  store,  either  in  Paris  or 
any  city  in  the  kingdom.  Roused  from  the  fatal  lethargy 
of  Infidelity,  France  is  at  length  convinced  that  she  must 
have  religion,  and  Christianity,  in  some  form,  is  receiving 
an  unwonted  patronage  from  all  classes  of  her  people.* 

As  a  further  evidence  of  this,  we  may  refer  to  the 
spirit  of  benevolent  enterprise,  which  has,  within  a  few 
years  past,  like  the  sun  after  a  dark  and  tempestuous 
night,  risen  on  France,  scattering  the  darkness  and  mists 
of  the  past,  and  sending  its  light  and  its  vivifying  influ- 
ences over  the  whole  land.  Bible,  Tract  and  Missionary 
Societies,  are  educing,  gathering  and  combining  the  be- 
nevolent energies  of  a  people  who  are  peculiarly  fitted 
for  benevolent  action.  Paris,  already  modestly  treading 
in  the  footsteps  of  London  and  New  York,  annually 
gathers  together  the  different  bands  of  the  sacramental 
host,  that  they  may  collectively  rejoice  in  their  triumphs, 
and  recruit  their  strength  for  new  encounters.  As  an 
example  of  their  pious  zeal  and  benevolent  activity,  the 
Evangelical  Society  of  France  employs  twenty-five  or- 
dained ministers,  seven  evangelists,  twenty-nine  school 
teachers,  eight  colporteurs,  and  supports  six  students, 
preparing  for  evangelists.  The  Paris  Society  employs 
one  hundred  and  forty-six  laborers,  of  whom  thirty-four 
are  preachers.  And,  if  we  admit  into  the  account  the 
amount  of  labor  performed  in  France,  whether  by  the 
French  clergy  or  by  different  Evangelical  Societies,  as 


*  "  I  am  surprised,"  says  Rev.  Dr.  Bushnell,  ''by  what  I  see  of  the  condition  and 
character  of  the  French  people.  They  are  fast  becoming  a  new  people.  The  revolu- 
tion was  a  terrible,  yet  I  am  convinced,  a  great  good  to  France.  It  has  broken  up  the 
old  system,  and  blown  it  as  chaff  to  the  winds.  Priestcraft  has  come  to  a  full  end  ;  the 
lordly  manners  of  the  hierarchy  are  utterly  swept  away.  Industry  is  called  into  ac- 
tion; wealth  is  increasing;  education  is  becoming  a  topic  of  greater  interest.  No 
country  in  Europe  is  advancing  so  rapidly  as  France." 

18* 


210  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

the  Geneva  and  the  American  Evangelical  Societies,  and 
Bible,  Tract  and  Book  Societies,  we  meet  no  less  than 
four  hundred  preachers,  of  whom  one  hundred  are 
evangelists.  There  are,  also,  three  hundred  colporteurs, 
and  a  large  number  of  pious  school-masters  ;  in  all,  a 
goodly  host,  who,  in  honesty  and  godly  sincerity,  and 
in  the  midst  of  great  sacrifice  and  reproach,  are  raising 
their  voice  in  testimony  of  the  truth.*  And  Romish 
virulence  dare  not  harm  a  hair  of  their  heads.  Is  this 
the  France  of  1793? 

Such  men  as  Dr.  Mai  an  and  Professor  Monod,  Roussel 
and  Audabez,  bright  and  shining  lights,  and  worthy  to 
tread  in  the  footsteps  of  the  immortal  Calvin,  are  travers- 
ing the  nation  from  East  to  West,  and  North  to  South, 
preaching  publicly  and  privately,  by  day  and  by  night,  to 
multitudes  of  the  dispersed  children  of  God,  who  are 
hungering  for  the  bread  of  life  ;  and  to  greater  multitudes 
of  Romanists,  who  are  allowed  to  occupy  the  places  of 
preaching  to  the  voluntary  exclusion  of  the  Protestants. 
These  deluded  children  of  Rome  hear  the  strange  things 
that  are  thus  brought  to  their  ears,  and  admire  the  sim- 
plicity of  an  unadulterated  gospel,  and  many  embrace  it. 
It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  the  most  joyful  reiteration,  that  most 
of  the  above  list  of  evangelical  laborers  are  converts  from 
Romanism,  now  engaged  to  demolish,  by  the  mighty  arm 
of  truth,  what  once,  by  ignorance  and  superstition,  they 
contributed  to  build  up.  An  hundred  Romish  priests 
have  been  converted  in  France. 

"Never,"  says  Rev.  N.  Roussel,  "have  the  Roman 
Catholic  people  been  more  disgusted  with  the  superstition 
of  their  church  and  the  avarice  of  their  priests,  than  at 
present ;  and  never  has  there  been  a  more  favorable  op- 
portunity of  declaring  the  gospel  to  them."  We  need 
here  to  descend  to  particulars  :  the  follow^ing  we  may 
take  as  illustrations  of  the  hand  of  God  in  France  at  the 
present  moment : 

The  departments  in  which  the  work  of  God  has  been 

•  A  single  fact  connected  with  the  agents  of  this  distribution  is  worthy  a  passin;^  no- 
tice :  of  tlie  two  hundred  French  distributors  or  colporteurs,  employed  by  the  British 
andForeicn  Bible  Society,  during  the  same  period,  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  were 
fornierly  Romanists,  and  the  superintendent  was  not  only  a  Romanist,  but  a  pupil  of 
theJesuita  ^  ^  v  v 


THE    PHYSICIAN    OF    SENS.  211 

the  most  marked,  are  Yomie,  Haute  Viemie,  Saintonge, 
Charente. 

Ill  the  department  of  Yonne,  is  the  ancient  and  cele- 
brated city  of  Sens,  whose  Archbishop  takes  the  title  of 
Primate  of  the  Gauls,  and  where  priestly  influence  has 
been  from  time  immemorial  overpowering.  Could  pro- 
testantism find  room  in  Sens  ?  Heaven  had  decided  it ; 
but  how  ?  A  physician  of  Sens  is  brought  to  Lyons,* 
where,  with  his  wife,  he  spends  some  time.  His  wife 
becomes  acquainted  with  a  pious,  respectable  widow, 
whose  exemplary  deportment  and  well-ordered  family 
quite  excite  her  curiosity  to  know  by  what  means  this 
family  ditfer  so  widely  from  Romish  families  of  her  ac- 
quaintance. It  was  the  fruit,  she  found,  of  a  pure  and 
holy  religion.  She  visited  the  widow  ;  admired  her  de- 
portment and  conversation,  and  received  from  her  hands 
some  religious  books.  The  physician  and  his  wife  return 
to  Sens,  but  with  minds  troubled  and  uneasy.  They 
sought  rest  in  such  instructions  as  Sens  afforded,  but 
found  none.  They  then  said,  "  let  us  read  the  tracts  the 
good  widow  of  Lyons  gave  us."  They  read  them  ;  ac- 
quire new  views  of  Christianity ;  become  seriously  con- 
cerned for  their  souls,  and  begin  to  pray.  And  so  it  was 
with  other  persons,  all  Romanists,  who  were  present  and 
read  the  tracts  with  them. 

While  this  was  doing  in  Sens,  the  hand  of  Providence 
is  working  a  counterpart  in  Paris.  A  poor  laboring  man, 
a  weaver,  feels  his  heart  stirred  in  him  to  serve  his  Di- 
vine Master,  and  begs  at  the  door  of  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  to  be  sent  as  a  colporteur  to  Sens. 
He  goes  ;  falls  upon  the  house  of  the  physician.  He  and 
his  wife  receive  him  gladly.  They  are  instructed ;  con- 
verted ;  their  house  becomes  a  rallying  point  of  protest- 
antism and  piety.  A  congregation  is  formed ;  a  pastor 
is  sent  for ;  Mr.  Audebez  goes  and  soon  finds  hundreds, 
yea  thousands,  flock  to  hear  him.  The  whole  city  is 
moved.     Men  of  every  age  and  rank  show  an  eager  de- 

*  Did  space  permit,  we  miffht  go  a  step  further  back  and  trace  ihQ  providential  his- 
<on/ of  the  evangelical  church  in  Lyons,  and  we  should  find  matter  for  profound  ad- 
miration. She  is  peculiarly  a  child  of  Providence.  A  clerical  visitor,  after  spending 
several  weeKs  at  Lyons,  declares  that  no  church  answered  so  nearly  to  his  ideal  of 
what  a  Christian  church  should  be,  as  the  church  in  Lyons. 


212  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

sire  to  know  the  gospel.  Old  soldiers,  veterans  in  prof- 
ligacy, yield  to  the  sa&red  word,  and  weep  like  children. 

The  work  extends  to  the  whole  adjacent  country  ;  Mr. 
A.  cannot  meet  the  growing  demand  for  labor  ;  another 
pastor  is  called,  and  shortly  the  whole  department  seem 
about  to  renounce  Rome.  Mr.  Audebez  goes  to  Paris 
and  asks  for  more  laborers ;  says  he  can  place  forty  in 
the  department  of  Yonne,  and  doubts  not  that  shortly  he 
shall  have  place  for  an  hundred.* 

A  similar  movement  is  going  forward  in  Haute  Vienne 
and  Lower  Charente.  It  is  the  opinion  of  an  eye  wit- 
ness that  the  "  entire  Roman  Catholic  population  of 
Lower  Charente  would  be  brought  over  to  the  protestant 
faith,  or  at  least  to  the  protestant  communion,  if  we  only 
had  laborers  ready  to  send  into  the  field,  wjiich  is  so  un- 
expectedly open  for  us." 

In  the  department  of  Haute  Vienne,  the  work  has  been, 
if  possible,  yet  more  extraordinary.  After  laboring  six 
months  at  Villefavard,  Mr.  Roussel  has  the  happiness  of 
seeing  the  entire  Roviisli  population  join  the  protestant 
faith,  and  attend  their  worship.  At  Baledent,  one  half 
follow  Mr.  Roussel ;  at  Limoges,  Mr.  R.  estabhshed  pro- 
testant worship,  which  was  attended  by  hundreds  of  Ro- 
manists. At  Rancon,  whither  he  was  called  by  a  letter 
signed  by  eighty  heads  of  families,  eleven  of  whom  were 
members  of  the  Municipal  Council,  the  Mayor  of  the 
city  acquiescing,  he  preached  to  six  hundred  persons  in  a 
barn.  Other  communes  were  waiting  to  receive  his  visit 
and  to  hear  from  him  the  words  of  life. 

We  may  take  the  following  as  an  illustration  of  the 
eagerness  of  large  portions  of  the  French  people  for 
evangelical  preaching : 

Says  Mr.  Roussel,  "  I  was  in  Rancon  last  week,  it  was 
a  market  day,  and  the  peasants  of  the  neighboring  com- 
munes came  from  all  parts.  A  man  came  to  my  room, 
who  was  sent  by  his  village,  to  ask  me  what  they  must 
do  to  get  a  pastor.     We  were  conversing  on  the  subject, 

At  a  later  date,  (May,  1847,)  Mr.  Audebez  savs  before  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
ifi^  j-^hurch  of  Scotland  :  "  If  men  and  money  could  be  secured,  it  would  be  easy  to  es- 
tablish five  hundred  places  of  public  worship  in  France,  now  that  the  greater  part  of 
France  is  disposed  to  Protestantism."    And  the  speech  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cordes,  of  Ge- 
neva, was  equally  cheering,  says  the  Report. 


FRANCE  AND  THE  BIBLE.  213 

when  four  other  persons  entered  my  chamber,  and  asked 
me  if  I  would  not  come  soon  and  estabHsh  worship  in 
their  commune.  I  had  not  finished  a  reply  when  a  third 
detegation  came  to  ask  what  steps  they  must  take  to  get 
a  pastor.  Before  these  had  gone,  there  came  still  four 
peasants,  from  four  different  villages,  to  say  that  all  the 
inhabitants  wished  to  become  Protestants.  Lastly,  a 
fifth  delegation  came  to  request  the  establishment  of 
evangelical  worship."  "  A  stranger  might  suppose  these 
persons  had  concerted  together,  all  to  come  on  the  same 
day  ;  but  for  myself,  knowing  the  state  of  the  country,  I 
was  not  at  all  surprised." 

Again,  Mr.  Roussei  comes  into  the  department  of  Cha- 
rente,  distributes  ten  thousand  tracts — the  bishop  issues 
a  mandate  forbidding — more  are  sold  than  before.  The 
priests  preach  against  reform — the  sale  increases.  A 
colporteur  is  imprisoned ;  he  preaches  to  the  prisoners, 
and  when  he  comes  out,  sells  more  Bibles  than  ever.  A 
barn  is  open  to  Mr.  R.,  who  there  preaches  to  two  thou- 
sand attentive  hearers,  one  half  of  whom  could  only  get 
so  near  as  to  try  to  hear.  And  "this,"  says  he,  "is  but 
a  specimen  of  the  readiness  of  the  people  to  hear  a  pure 
gospel." 

"  Everywhere,"  says  another,  "  Popery  seems  shaken. 
The  priests  can  only  hold  back  their  flocks  with  an  arm 
of  iron,  by  intrigues  of  all  kinds  ;  and  even  then  the  men 
frequently  escape  from  them.  To  these  the  Romish  re- 
ligion appears  superannuated,  they  can  see  nothing  but  the 
frauds  of  the  ambitious  clergy,  who  grow  rich  on  the  la- 
bor of  the  poor  people."  "  There  are  few  villages  in 
France  in  which  the  word  of  God  has  not  been  offered, 
and  some  copies  been  left.  And  though  the  priests  may 
burn  the  book  of  life,  and  utter  a  thousand  lies  against  it, 
the  people  begin  to  perceive  that  the  Romish  religion  and 
the  Bible  cannot  exist  together." 

The  missionary  spirit  of  the  evangelical  church  of 
France  and  her  two  theological  schools  are  further  tokens 
for  good.  The  one  augurs  good  for  France,  in  supplying 
her  waste  places  with  those  who  shall  water  them  from 
the  wells  of  salvation ;  and  the  other  is  a  sure  pledge  of 
the  spirit  and  power  of  religion  in  a  church.     As  they 


214  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

water,  they  shall  also  be  watered  again.  As  they  mete,  so 
it  shall  be  measured  to  them.  The  divinity  schools  at 
Montauban  and  Geneva,  under  the  auspices  of  their  ex- 
cellent professors,  are  verdant  spots — wells  of  salvation, 
whose  waters  shall  fertilize  nations  not  a  few. 

Before  quitting  France  I  would  call  attention  to  a  sin- 
gle fact :  It  is  the  singular  connection  between  the  French 
nation  and  the  Papacy.  This  is  a  matter  of  deep  histor- 
ical interest.  And  it  this  providential  relation  is  still  to 
continue,  we  cannot  contemplate  the  extraordinary  reli- 
gious movement  now  going  forward  in  France,  without 
anticipating  some  movement  as  extraordinary  in  the 
church  of  Rome.  France  has  not  only  been  the  right 
arm  of  the  Papacy  in  the  support  she  has  lent  Rome,  but 
she  has  been  the  mighty  angel  with  the  chaiji  in  his  hand, 
to  chain  the  Scarlet  Beast,  when  he  has  essayed  to  go  be- 
yond his  prescribed  limits.  When  Rome  was  to  be  ex- 
alted, France  has  done  it ;  when  to  be  humbled,  France 
has  been  the  instrument.  France  was  the  first  to  confer 
temporal  and  political  power  on  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  and 
the  first  to  lay  hands  on  a  Pope,  making  him  prisoner, 
humble  him,  and  kill  him  with  mortification  and  rage. 
Yet  no  power  has  done  so  much  since  the  days  of  Pepin, 
to  uphold  the  Papacy.  In  756,  Pepin,  King  of  the 
French,  moved  by  the  touching  letter  of  St.  Peter  him- 
self, direct  from  heaven,  (with  the  trifling  exception  of 
having  passed  through  the  hands  of  Pope  Stephen  III., 
and  received  his  approval  and  emendation)  crossed  the 
Alps,  took  up  arms  for  the  Pope,  overcame  the  King  of 
Lombardy,  and  left  the  Pope  in  possession  of  the  exarch- 
ate of  Revenna  and  its  dependencies.  Thus  the  uni- 
versal bishop  became  a  temporal  prince ;  added  "  the 
sceptre  to  the  keys,"  and  France  did  it.  Pepin  conferred 
this  splendid  donation  on  the  Pope  in  supreme  and  abso- 
lute dominion,  as  a  recompense  "for  the  remission  of  his 
sins  and  the  salvation  of  his  soul."  Charlemagne  re- 
ceived from  the  hands  of  the  Pope  the  crown  of  imperial 
Rome,  and  thus  recognized  and  became  pledged  to  sup- 
port the  unwarrantable  usurpation  of  Anti-christ. 

This  famous  letter — and  we  are  happy  to  be  able  to 
quote  from  a  veritable  correspondence  of  St.  Peter  him- 


FRANCE  AND  THE  PAPACY.  21 

self — was  addressed  to  the  most  excellent  Prince,  Pepin, 
and  to  Charles  and  Charloman,  his  sons,  and  to  all  bish- 
ops, abbots,  priests,  and  monks  ;  as,  also,  to  dukes,  counts 
and  people.  It  begins  thus :  "  The  Apostle  Peter,  to- 
gether with  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  the  thrones,  dominions, 
&c.,  gives  notice,  commands,  &c. ;"  the  letter  ending 
with  the  very  apostolic  injunction  :  "  If  you  will  not  fight 
for  me,  I  declare  to  you  by  the  Holy  Trinity  and  by  my 
apostleship,  that  you  shall  have  no  share  in  heaven." 

Pope  Boniface  VIII.  was  most  signally  humbled  by 
Philip  the  Fair,  of  France.  Philip  demanded  a  general 
council  to  depose  the  Pope  ;  and  the  Pope  as  readily  thun- 
dered his  bull  of  excommunication  against  Philip.  The 
King,  roused  to  madness,  levied  an  army,  seized  his  Ho- 
liness, and  treated  him  with  the  greatest  indignity.  He 
soon  after  died  of  an  illness  engendered  by  his  mortifica- 
tion and  rage.  Again  we  trace  the  hand  of  France 
raised  against  Rome  in  the  Great  Western  Schism — the 
elevation  of  a  French  Pope — the  removal  of  the  Papal 
seat  to  Avignon,  and  the  subsequent  wars  of  rival  popes. 
Here  we  may  date  the  first  great  shaking  of  the  mighty 
fabric  of  Rome.  Here  the  Beast  received  his  incura- 
ble wound.  Again,  France,  under  Napoleon,  humbles 
the  Pope,  and  breaks  the  strong  arm  of  his  temporal 
power. 

The  political  power  and  influence  of  France,  her  treas- 
ures, her  diplomacy,  her  armies  and  navies,  have  been 
laid  an  offering  on  the  altar  of  Rome.  And  France,  too, 
has  done  more  than  all  other  papal  countries  to  extend 
the  Romish  faith.  She  furnishes  near  one  half  of  the 
missionaries  of  Rome,  (total,  three  thousand  in  number,) 
and  about  one  half  of  the  receipts  of  all  her  missionary 
societies,  (total  amount,  nine  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars.) The  government  is  foremost,  too,  in  opening  the 
way,  by  its  power  and  diplomacy,  for  Papal  missionaries  ; 
and  freely  lends  its  ships  of  war  to  transport  Romish 
priests  to  distant  continents  and  islands,  and  its  cannon, 
to  compel  the  people  to  receive  them. 

What  France  will  do  next,  doth  not  yet  appear.  The 
present  auspicious  movement  in  that  nation  certainly 
cherishes  the  hope  that  this  right  arm  of  the  Papacy  may 


216  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

ere  long,  prove  a  right  arm  to  conduct  Rome  to  Christ. 
This  we  may  at  least  hope  evangelical  France  will  do — 
though  papal  France  may  once  more  lend  her  power  to 
uphold  Rome. 

The  recent  revival  of  evangelical  religion  in  Geneva, 
the  city  of  Calvin,  and  where  Beza  made  bare  his  giant 
arm  in  defence  of  the  Reformation,  may  not  be  over- 
looked in  our  estimate  of  providential  movements  in  Eu- 
rope. Geneva  has  been  called  the  Jerusalem  of  the  con- 
tinent. Once  purified  and  filled  with  the  sweet  waters  of 
life,  it  would  be  a  fountain,  whose  streams  should  flow  to 
Europe  and  the  world.  Already  France  receives  her 
healing  waters,  and  her  deserts  rejoice. 

Late  movements  in  behalf  of  reform  indicate  moral  ad- 
vancement in  Europe.  The  temperance  reformation  has 
crept  into  the  palaces  of  kings,  and  numbers  in  its  ranks 
nobles  and  princes,  while  associations  for  carrying  out 
various  plans  of  benevolent  action  are  springing  into  ex- 
istence in  almost  every  quarter  of  the  continent.  The 
travels,  labor,  and  reception,  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Baird  afford 
a  forcible  and  edifying  illustration  of  what  Europe  now 
is  as  a  field  prepared  for  the  good  seed  of  the  word. 
Fifteen  years  ago,  how  would  the  monarchical  people  ana 
aristocratic  princes  of  Europe  have  received  a  protestant, 
an  American,  a  republican,  a  man  whose  principal  and 
sole  object  was  to  search  out  the  moral  destitutions  of 
the  land,  and  to  overflow  its  moral  wastes  with  the  pure 
waters  of  life  ?  How  he  has  been  everywhere  hailed  as 
the  precursor  of  better  days  to  the  lapsed  churches  of 
Europe,  we  know.  How  he  would  have  been  received 
at  any  former  period  since  the  expulsion  of  Protestantism 
from  France,  Spain,  Belgium,  and  Italy,  is  matter  of  no 
doubtful  conjecture. 

Europe  does  not,  perhaps,  present  a  more  pleasing  fea- 
ture, or  one  of  more  delightful  promise,  than  in  the  in- 
crease of  evangelical  religion  in  high  places.  I  have  al- 
ready alluded  to  instances  of  this  in  king's  palaces,  of 
crowned  heads  guided  by  pious  hearts.  What  a  charm- 
ing example  of  the  power  of  religion  is  the  Duchess  of 
Orleans,  whom  the  Protestants  of  France  had  fondly 
hoped  to  hail  as  their  Queen — Count  Gasparin,  a  young 


PROGRESS   OF   FREE  PRINCIPLES.  217 

French  nobleman  of  great  promise  and  decided  piety,  a 
man  of  fine  talents,  and  the  most  fearless  champion  for 
the  truth  the  Protestants  of  France  have  had  for  half  a 
century.  To  which  may  be  added,  the  late  Duchess  de 
Brogli  and  her  excellent  son,  the  Baron  de  Stael,  and  not 
a  few  of  kindred  spirits,  who  now  adorn  the  higher  ranks 
of  life  in  France  and  on  the  continent  of  Europe. 

Or,  in  another  sphere,  we  meet  such  men  as  Dr  Merle 
d'  Aubigne,  Prof  Monad,  G.  de  Felice,  Dr.  Malan,  and 
the  indefatigable,  spirit-stirring  Roussel,  and  Mr.  Cordes 
of  Lyons.  Indeed,  the  evangelical  church  in  the  ancient 
city  of  Lyons  is  a  beacon  of  great  promise.  In  the  very 
heart  of  Catholic  France  is  a  church  of  near  four  hundred 
members,  and  the  truths  of  the  gospel  preached  to  im- 
mense numbers  every  Lord's  day.  Or,  I  might  speak  of 
the  late  wonderful  movement  in  favor  of  religious  liberty 
in  Germany,  Switzerland,  and  Belgium. 

In  reference  to  the  latter  we  must  note  in  passing,  an- 
other interesting  providential  interposition  in  the  destiny 
of  nations.  Rome  and  her  priests  espoused  the  cause  of 
the  Belgic  revolution,  hoping  to  be  rid  of  the  Protestant 
influence  which  a  union  with  Holland  had  imposed  upon 
them.  Never  did  men  more  grossly  mistake  the  inten- 
tions of  Providence.  The  result  was  a  constitution  for 
Belgium,  securing  perfect  religious  liberty.  No  country 
in  Europe  enjoys  so  complete  religious  liberty. 

The  finger  of  God  is  most  distinctly  seen  at  the  present 
time  in  Europe  in  the  progress  of  free  principles.  The 
science  of  government  has  undergone  an  almost  entire 
revolution  within  the  last  half  century.  The  idea  of  the 
absolute  divine  right  of  kings  is  exploded  as  one  of  the 
last  relics  of  a  feudal  age,  and  the  republican  notion  that 
a  government  is  for  the  people,  is  not  only  being  con- 
ceded, but  is  fast  becoming  universal.  Europe  is  en- 
gaged in  a  war  of  opinion.  On  the  one  side,  for  consti- 
tutional government ;  on  the  other,  for  arbitrary  power 
and  hereditary  succession.  Every  revolution  produces  a 
result  in  favor  of  popular  sovereignty,  and  detracts  in  the 
same  proportion  from  the  divine  right  of  legitimacy.  In 
France,  Germany,  Spain,  Portugal,  and  Italy,  civil  liberty 

19 


218  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

is  in  the  ascendant.*  All  continental  Europe  seem  about 
to  be  shaken  to  its  very  centre. 

The  revolutionary  tendencies  of  Europe  are  especially 
interesting  on  account  of  the  connection  between  free  in- 
stitutions and  Protestant  Christianity.  Both  are  the  fruit 
of  free  inquiry.  Church  reform  is  very  likely  to  follow 
political  reform.  As  the  government  of  reason  and  law 
takes  the  place  of  arbitrary  power,  obstacles  are  removed 
to  the  free  access  of  the  gospel.  While,  on  the  other 
hand,  every  Bible,  or  sound  religious  book  that  is  distrib- 
uted in  Europe ;  every  protestant  school  that  is  estab- 
lished ;  every  evangehcal  sermon  that  is  preached  ;  every 
Bible  doctrine  or  moral  sentiment  that  is  enforced,  is  a 
stone  loosed  from  the  foundation  of  the  twofold  dominion 
of  Popery  and  civil  despotism. 

Another  feature  not  to  be  overlooked,  is,  the  general 
loaking  uj)  of  the  mind  of  Europe,  at  the  present  time,  on 
the  great  subject  of  religion.  The  Romanists  may  call  it 
a  woful  tendency  to  infidelity.  It  has  in  it,  to  say  the 
least,  a  strong  suspicion  and  disgust  of  Romanism.  The 
public  mind  is  unusually  awake  to  the  absurdity  of  papal 
rites  and  superstitions.  The  spirit  of  inquiry  is  abroad, 
and,  dispossessed  of  its  predilections  for  Popery,  the  mind 
of  thousands  is  open  to  receive  the  truth  in  its  unadorned 
simplicity. 

Little  need  now  be  said  on  our  second  inquiry.  The 
present  condition  of  Romanism  and  of  Protestantism.  The 
inference  from  the  above  is  irresistible.  In  a  worldly 
point  of  view,  Rome  possesses  immense  advantages  for 
propagating  her  faith ;  and  she  is  making  desperate  ef- 
forts to  regain  her  lost  dominions.  The  finger  of  proph- 
ecy and  the  strong  arm  of  Providence  are  marking  her  as 
the  object  of  Heaven's  maledictions.  "  The  souls  of  the 
martyrs  beneath  the  altar  are  uttering  their  solemn  peti- 
tions against  her.  Thousands  are  becoming  weary  of  her 
vain  superstitions  and  her  ghostly  tyranny.  Her  very  op- 
position is  becoming  more  feeble.  Fire  and  faggots  have 
tailed.     Her  military  and  her  diplomatic  power  is  gone. 

•  We  wait,  in  hope  and  fear,  to  see  what  shall  be  the  result  of  the  extraordinary 
movement  of  the  new  pope,  Pious  IX.,  in  favor  of  advancement  and  liberty  in  the  Pa- 
pal slates,  and  throughout  the  Papal  world.     The  above  was  written  in  1847, 


THE  PREPARED  STATE  OF  EUROPE.         219 

She  no  longer  stands  up  in  the  presence  of  kings,  thirst- 
ing for  the  blood  of  the  saints."*  Her  power  is  dimin- 
ishing with  the  advance  of  knowledge,  piety,  and  civil 
liberty.  Before  the  advancing  light  of  the  Bible,  Rome 
is  stripped  of  her  meretricious  charms.  Where  she  once 
threatened,  she  now  implores,  or  condescends  to  reason. 
"  She,  who  once  roared,  and  the  nations  trembled ;  she, 
who  frowned,  and  kings  grew  pale,"  is  now  as  tame,  and, 
where  public  sentiment  compels,  as  obsequious,  as  an  en- 
feebled, famishing  old  lioness. 

Protestantism,  on  the  other  hand,  though  for  a  long 
time  enveloped  in  a  dark  cloud,  is  now  as  a  bridegroom 
coming  out  of  his  chamber,  and  rejoiceth  as  a  strong  man 
to  run  a  race.  Worried  out  by  the  proud  usurpations  of 
Rome,  and  crushed  beneath  the  heavy  foot  of  popish  op- 
pression. Protestantism  has  been  chased  off  the  soil  on 
which,  for  some  time  after  the  Reformation,  she  seemed  in- 
digenous. On  the  very  ground  where  Luther  taught, 
and  Calvin  and  Melancthon  defended  the  truth  of  revela- 
tion, Protestantism  had  almost  ceased  to  be.  But  a  rem- 
nant, according  to  the  election  of  grace,  remained.  All 
had  not  bov/ed  the  knee  to  Baal — all  had  not  received 
the  mark  of  the  beast.  The  day  of  their  redemption 
seems  to  draw  near.  Again  do  they  rise  in  all  the  vigor 
of  youth,  and  put  on  the  helmet  of  salvation.  In  their  re- 
cent efforts  to  resuscitate  the  languishing  churches  on  the 
continent,  and  to  strengthen  the  things  that  remain,  they 
have  found  richly  verified  the  promise,  "  They  that  wait 
upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength ;  they  shall 
mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles,  they  shall  run  and  not  be 
weary,  they  shall  walk  and  not  faint." 

The  present  condition  of  Protestantism  in  Europe, 
speaks  volumes  in  favor  of  her  speedy  evangelization. 
Or  if  viewed  as  a  providential  movement,  it  indicates  the 
'prepared  state  of  Europe  to  receive  a  pure  gospel. 

If  the  picture  before  us  is  a  fair  one — if  Europe,  in  her 
general  features,  and  in  respect  to  the  present  condition 
of  Popery  and  Protestantism  be  such  as  has  been  de- 
scribed, the  question  of  duty  in  respect  to  this  portion  of 

'  Report  of  the  Foreign  Evangelical  Society,  1840. 


220  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

the  world,  is  irresistibly  forced  upon  us.  In  the  vision  of 
our  taith,  and  in  the  arms  of  our  benevolence,  we  are  to 
encompass  tlie  whole  earth.  Not  a  nook  or  corner  may 
be  overlooked.  No  rank  or  condition  of  men,  no  climate 
or  color,  may  form  a  barrier  to  the  universal  benevo- 
lence of  the  Christian.  Yet  the  Christian  philanthropist 
and  philosopher  must,  above  all  other  men,  watch  the 
fintrer  of  Providence.  Where  God  is  at  work  there  he 
must  work.  Where  he  finds  an  open  door,  there  he  must 
enter,  looking  to  God  that  he  will  make  it  a  wide  and 
effectual  door.  In  carrying  out  his  great  plans  in  human 
redemption,  it  suits  the  purposes  of  God  sometimes  to 
advance  his  work  simultaneously  in  nearly  every  portion 
of  the  great  field,  and  sometimes  to  confine  his  agency  to 
particular  portions  of  it.  We  must  watch  the  Divine 
mind  and  work  where  He  works. 

At  the  present  time  the  mighty  hand  of  God  is  stretched 
out  over  nearly  the  whole  of  the  vast  field.  At  no  former 
period  has  He  given  so  distinct  indications  that  he  was 
about  to  give  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  to  his  Son. 
Yet  the  agency  of  his  Providence  is  more  distinctive  in 
some  portions  of  the  world  than  in  others.  There  is  in 
the  order  of  time  and  place  a  preference  in  the  Divine 
mind.  Some  nations  shall  come  in  before  others.  We 
must  study  this  preference.  The  finger  of  Providence 
will  point  it  out,  and  then  we  must  direct  our  efforts,  our 
prayers  and  benefactions,  to  the  point  or  points  where  the 
lines  of  Providence  the  most  prominently  converge. 

At  present  Europe  is  one  of  these  special  points  of 
convergency. 

This  will  enable  each  one  of  us  to  determine  our  per- 
sonal duty  towards  that  interesting  portion  of  the  world. 
Looking  to  the  present  condition  of  Europe — her  open- 
ing and  inviting  field,  her  wants,  and  the  indications  of 
Divine  Providence  towards  her,  what,  in  benefactions,  in 
prayer  and  personal  effort,  is  the  measure  of  our  duty  ? 
This  determined,  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  with  the  approval 
of  an  enlightened  conscience,  it  only  remains  to  be  said, 
the  "  Foreign  Evangelical  Society"  is  a  channel  by 
which  to  convey  our  benefactions  to  the  aid  of  a  feeble. 


THE    TERRITORIES    OF    PAGANISM.  221 

yet  determined  Protestantism,  in  her  struggles  to  rear 
her  head  amidst  the  opposing  principaHties  and  powers 
of  Papal  Europe. 

"  The  liberal  deviseth  liberal  things  ; 
And  by  liberal  things  shall  he  stand." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Continued.  Second,  Pagan  Countries.  Paganism  in  its  dotage.  Fifty  years  ago 
scarcely  a  tribe  of  Pagans  accessible.  1793,  another  epoch.  Pagan  nations,  how  ac- 
cessible. Facilities.  War.  The  effective  force  in  the  field.  Resources  of  Provi- 
dence in  laborers,  education,  and  the  press.  Tolleration.  Success.  Krishnugar.  South 
India. 

"  Lift  up  your  eyes,  and  look  on  the  fields^  for  they  are  white 
already  to  harvest.''^     John  iv.  35. 

The  subject  of  the  last  chapter  was  the  great  field, 
open  and  prepared  to  receive  the  good  seed.  Attention 
was  then  directed  to  the  countries  over  which  the  Papacy- 
holds  its  iron  sway.  We  were  able  to  trace  very  dis- 
tinctly the  hand  of  God  in  the  present  condition  of  those 
countries.  Morally,  politically,  ecclesiastically,  and  in 
reference  to  the  state  of  education,  they  are  brought  into 
an  unprecedented  state  of  readiness  to  receive  the  gos- 
pel. He  that  runneth,  may  there  read  the  agency  of  the 
Omnipotent  arm. 

I  come  now  to  invite  you  to  a  like  survey  of  the 
territories  of  Paganism. 

Asia,  with  her  teeming  millions,  at  once  starts  up  be- 
fore us  as  the  principal  theatre  of  Pagan  abominations. 
Though  Paganism  is  by  no  means  confined  to  Asia,  nor 
is  Asia  all  Pagan,  yet  we  look  there  for  the  capital,  and 
the  chief  resources  of  Satan's  empire.  There  are  the 
great  systems  of  Idolatry,  which  have  so  signally  perverted 
human  reason,  extinguished  human  sympathies,  and  dried 
up  the  fountain  of  man's  noblest  affections.     On  many 

19* 


222  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

islands  of  the  sea,  and  in  large  portions  of  Africa,  and  in 
parts  of  Northern  Europe,  there  is  idolatry,  gross,  abomina- 
ble, debasing,  yet  not  so  systematized  ;  not  so  interwoven 
with  the  science  and  literature  of  the  people — with  the 
very  warp  and  woof  of  their  existence.  In  Asia,  the 
great  battle  is  to  be  fought — the  attack  must  be  made  at- 
the  capital,  while  the  outposts  must  not  be  overlooked. 

Our  present  inquiry  relates  to  the  present  condition  of 
Pagan  countries,  and  the  preparedness  of  the  countries 
over  which  this  cloud  of  death  has  cast  its  shadov/,  for 
the  promulgation  of  the  gospel. 

Paganism  is  fast  sinking  beneath  its  western  horizon. 
Its  mighty  temples  are  crumbling  to  the  dust,  with  no 
hope  that  they  shall  ever  again  be  rebuilt.  Its  altars  are 
prostrate ;  the  glory  of  its  priesthood  has  departed  ;  the 
potency  of  its  spell  is  broken.  It  is  but  the  stupendous 
ruin  of  a  gorgeous  edifice.  The  kings  of  the  earth  brought 
their  glory  and  honor  into  it.  All  nations  bowed  before 
its  gilded  altar,  and  revered  its  thousand  gods.  But  its 
foundations  are  undermined  ;  its  sanctuary  is  assailed  ; 
its  outposts  are  taken.  The  stone  cut  out  of  the  moun- 
tain without  hands  is  fast  jostling  from  their  places  their 
strong-holds,  and  nation  after  nation  is  yielding  allegiance 
to  King  Emanuel. 

Precisely  to  what  extent  Idolatry  is  on  the  wane,  and 
Christianity  coming  in  to  possess  its  vacated  territory,  we 
may  not  be  able  to  determine.  The  following  facts  afford 
indubitable  evidence  that  something  is  doing,  which  ought 
to  expand  the  pious  heart  in  grateful  aspirations  of  praise 
to  Him  that  worketh  and  no  man  hindereth,  that  openeth 
and  no  man  shutteth.  It  is  the  hand  of  an  ever-busy 
Almighty  Providence. 

Paganism  is  on  the  decline.  It  is  but  a  few  years  since 
its  great  systems  were  in  the  vigor  of  manhood.  Fifty 
years  ago  Brahmunism  and  Bhudism,  the  two  systems 
which  prevailed  over  all  Eastern  Asia,  holding  in  mental 
and  spiritual  bondage  more  than  half  the  population  of 
the  globe,  held  their  empire  undisputed.  With  difficulty 
could  an  evangelical  missionary  find  foothold  anywhere 
in  their  wide  domains.  India,  China,  Birmah,  Japan, 
Tartary,  and  the  numberless  and  populous  islands  of  the 


PAGANISM    ON    THE    DECLINE,  223 

sea,  were  almost  entirely  inaccessible.  When,  in  1792, 
the  English  Baptists  first  turned  their  faces  towards  the 
heathen  world,  they  knew  not  whither  to  direct  their 
steps.  Nor  was  it  scarcely  less  an  experiment  with  the 
London  Missionary  Society  in  1796,  or  with  the  American 
Board  in  1812.  The  world  seemed  closed  against  them. 
Heathen  nations  were  barricaded  against  Christian  influ- 
ences by  a  double  wall.  Both  ecclesiastical  and  political 
power  shut  the  door  against  them.  Pride  and  prejudice, 
superstition  and  ignorance,  and  love  of  license  from  the 
restraints  of  religion,  united  with  the  ambition  and  avarice 
of  the  priest  and  the  will  of  the  despot,  to  keep  out  the 
light  of  the  gospel.  Consequently,  darkness  and  despot- 
ism reigned,  and  unbroken  generations  went  down  to  the 
shades  of  death  unpitied  and  unwarned. 

But  what  a  change  has  come  over  the  world  since  the 
disgorging  of  the  volcano  in  Europe  in  1793.*  That  was 
not  merely  an  explosion  of  French  Infidelity.  Mysterious 
though  it  may  seem,  yet  the  convulsion,  called  the  French 
revolution,  was  shortly  felt  to  the  remotest  boundaries  of 
Paganism.  From  that  mighty  furnace,  heaving  and  boil- 
ing with  liquid  fire,  and  consuming  the  hay,  wood  and 
stubble  of  its  own  impurity,  there  seemed  to  arise  a  re- 
generative spirit,  which  passed  over  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth.  "  The  church,  started  out  of  the  sleep  of  the  last 
century  by  the  shock  that  engulphed  the  monarchy  of 
France,  began  to  grope  her  way  in  the  early  twilight,  and 
with  weak  faith  and  dim  vision,  to  gird  herself  for  her 


*  This  date  has  several  times  been  referred  to  in  the  foregoing  pages  as  an  important 
epoch.  If  we  subtract  from  it  1260,  (a  well  known  prophetic  period,)  we  shall  have 
533 ;  which  latter  we  find  to  be  the  date  of  the  celebrated  edict  of  Justinian,  which 
established  Popery  by  acknowledging  the  Pope  tlie  head  of  all  the  churches.  May  we 
not,  therefore,  take  1793  as  the  beginning  of  the  *'  time  of  the  end,"  or  the  fall  of  Anti- 
clirist "?  Another  epoch  in  Ihe  ri.se  of  Anti-christ  was  583-4,  when  the  Pope  first  set  up 
the  claim  of  Infidlibility.  Add  1260,  and  we  have  1843-4  as  another  step  in  "  the  time 
of  the  end."  Another  yet  more  important  epoch  in  the  establishment  of  the  great 
Papal  apostasy,  was  606,  when  the  emperor  Phocas  acknowledged  Boniface  universal 
Bishop  or  Pope  ;  and  we  may  look,  therefore,  that  1866  shall  be  a  yet  more  illustrious 
period  in  its  downfall.  But  the  end  may  not  be  yet.  For  the  Pope  was  not  established 
as  a  temporal  prince  till  the  year  756  ;  to  which  add  the  years  of  his  gigantic  age.  (1260,) 
and  we  have  2016  as  tlie  date  of  the  Jinal  end  of  Popery.  Whether  the  dying  struggles 
of  the  Beast  shall  be  protracted  to  that  date,  is  yet  to  be  seen. 

It  should  have  been  added  that  1R43-4  is  the  epoch  from  which  dates  the  commence- 
ment of  the  modern  Relormation  in  Germany.  The  bold  and  energetic  manifesto  of 
John  Ronge,  against  Papal  Infallibility,  was  dated  October  1,  1844.  We  have  yet  to  see 
whether  a  stone  was  not  then  set  rolling  which  will  crush  more  than  the  "toes"  of  this 
hutfe  colossus.  This  German  movement  was  announced  by  a  leading  journalist  m 
this  country  as  a  "new  pace  to  the  history  of  the  Reformation  in  Germany. 


224  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

work,  as  the  light  of  the  world  and  the  pillar  and  ground 
of  the  truth." 

From  that  hour  idolatry  the  more  rapidly  declined,  and 
an  extensive  system  of  means  began  to  come  into  being 
to  introduce  Christianity.  And,  what  is  more,  from  that 
time,  political  power  in  the  East,  which  had  for  some 
time  previous  been  shifting,  alternately,  from  the  hands 
of  Pagans  and  Papists,  became  confirmed  in  the  hands  of 
Protestants,  and  thus  the  way  was  opened,  and  protection 
secured  for  the  introduction  of  the  gospel  into  the  popu- 
lous regions  of  the  East.  In  India,  and  over  the  islands 
of  the  Eastern  Archipelago,  Protestant  rule  is  paramount. 
In  Birmah  and  China,  the  same  power  is,  at  least,  indi- 
rectly dominant,  so  as  virtually  to  secure  access  and 
protection  to  the  missionary.  Thus  political  obstacles  to 
the  evangelization  of  those  nations,  are  in  a  great  measure 
removed. 

And  the  hand  of  God  is  no  less  signally  manifest  in 
providing /aci'/zYies  for  the  same  work.  What,  under  the 
smiles  of  Heaven,  has  been  done  towards  evangelizing 
those  countries  we  may  regard  as  the  fulcrum  of  Provi- 
dence for  the  doing  of  vastly  greater  things.  The  Bible 
has  been  translated  into  all  their  principal  languages,  the 
press  is  established  in  almost  every  important  position  in 
the  vast  field,  and  already  the  light  of  truth  radiates  from 
these  points  over  those  dark  fields  of  death.  And  educa- 
tion is  doing  its  appropriate  work,  to  prepare  the  minds 
of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  Pagans  to  receive  the  heal- 
ing waters  of  life.  Much,  too,  has  been  done  to  open  the 
way  by  the  extensive  knowledge  which  has  been  acquired 
of  the  religions,  the  philosophy,  and  the  language  of 
Pagan  nations,  of  their  manners,  customs,  history  and 
modes  of  reasoning.  Dictionaries  and  grammars  have 
been  prepared  for  the  study  of  languages,  and  a  great 
variety  of  elementary  and  common  reading  books  for  the 
instruction  of  the  people.  Schools  have  been  established, 
and  churches  gathered  over  large  portions  of  the  heathen 
world.  Thus  has  Providence  put  into  the  hands  of  the  la- 
borer who  shall  now  enter  the  field,  vast  resources — an  ex- 
tensive apparatus,  which  he  may  bring  to  his  aid — tools  with 
which  to  work.  Among  the  one  hundred  and  thirty  millions 


FACILITIES    OF    INTERCOURSE.  225 

of  Hindoostan,  there  is  scarcely  a  village  which  is  not 
accessible  to  some,  if  not  all  the  labors  of  the  missionary. 
And  few  are  the  islands  of  the  sea  which  will  not  welcome 
to  their  shores  the  messenger  of  peace.  The  vast  empire 
of  China,  as  an  issue  of  the  late  war,  is  now  added  to  the 
great  field,  and  invites  Christian  enterprise.  Africa — the 
Pagan  portion  we  mean,  has,  by  one  movement  of  Provi- 
dence after  another,  become,  to  an  extent  hitherto  un- 
known, accessible  to  the  messages  of  mercy.  An  entrance 
has  already  been  partially  effected  on  the  East  and  on 
the  West,  and  an  effectual  door  been  opened  on  the  South. 

Every  missionary  station,  every  press,  or  school,  is  an 
entering- wedge  to  indefinite  enlargement.  Every  degree 
of  success  opens  the  door  to  what  lies  beyond,  and  in- 
creases the  probability  of  greater  success. 
-  We  have  already  spoken  of  the  present  increased  facil- 
ities of  intercourse  with  Pagan  nations — extensive  com- 
mercial relations — the  unprecedented  prevalence  of  the 
English  language,  and  the  residence  among  heathen  na- 
tions of  so  many  Europeans,  many  of  them  highly  intelli- 
gent, and  some  of  them  eminently  pious.  By  these  and 
other  means,  the  unevangelized  are  becoming  acquainted 
with  us,  and  we  with  them.  We  meet  and  compare 
notes — learn  their  character  and  condition,  their  wants 
and  their  woes ;  and  they  are  made  acquainted  with  the 
advantages  which  a  people  derive  from  the  improvements 
of  civilization,  from  true  science,  and  a  divine  religion. 
It  is  almost  impossible  for  a  nation  at  the  present  day  to 
close  their  doors  against  the  diffusive  light  of  liberty, 
knowledge,  civilization  and  Christianity.  The  remotest 
nations,  by  the  rapidity  of  recent  modes  of  communica- 
tion, have  become  neighbors.  These  are  so  many  tele- 
graphic lines,  to  convey  knowledge,  and  to  diffuse  light 
over  the  darkest  nook  and  corner  of  the  earth.  They 
are  providential  arrangements,  giving  facilities  to  the 
church  to  send  abroad  the  everlasting  gospel.  The  field 
is  prepared  either  for  the  good  seed  or  for  tares.  We 
do  well  not  to  sleep. 

Nor  should  we  pass  unnoticed  the  instrumentality  of 
war  in  preparing  the  world  to  receive  the  gospel.  War 
is  the  sledge-hammer  of  Providence  to  break  in  pieces  the 


HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

great  things  which  he  will  destroy.  The  wrath  of  man 
is  made  to  praise  Him.  Wicked  passions  as  roused  in 
the  war  spirit,  are  made  to  subvert  and  remove  some  of 
the  most  formidable  obstacles  to  the  progress  of  the  truth. 
When  God  would  batter  down  the  despotism  of  Europe, 
and  smite  the  head  of  Rome,  he  let  loose  upon  them  the 
blood-hound  of  Corsica.  Napoleon  Bonaparte  was  his 
hammer.  When  he  would  demolish  the  lime-honored 
and  seemingly  insurmountable  obstacles  which  India  pre- 
sented, to  ever  becoming  a  Christian  nation,  he  commis- 
sioned a  people  of  fierce  countenance,  and  skillful  in 
carnage,  and  mighty  in  power,  first  to  punish  them  for 
their  abominable  idolatries,  and  next  to  remove  difficul- 
ties to  their  evangelization — to  give  protection  to  the 
missionary,  and  to  supply  facilities  for  his  work.  When 
he  would  cut  the  bars  of  iron,  and  break  the  gates  of 
brass  which  shut  out  China  from  the  family  of  nations 
and  the  benign  influences  of  Christianity,  he  again  com- 
missioned the  scourge  of  war  and  British  cannon.  Or 
when  he  would  break  up  the  feudal  institutions  of  Mount 
Lebanon,  and  prepare  the  way  for  the  peaceful  reign  of 
the  gospel,  he  broke  those  flinty  rocks  by  the  hammer  of 
war.  "  Light,  knowledge,  and  the  gospel  itself,  have  fol- 
lowed on  the  bloody  heels  of  war;  and  the  flowers  of 
learning  and  liberty  have  blossomed  on  the  field  of  the 
crushed  skeleton."  We  regard  with  interest  the  provi- 
dential issue  of  the  late  war  with  Mexico. 

But  we  shall  take  a  different  view  of  the  field  as  prov- 
identially prepared.  Fix  the  eye  for  a  moment  on  the 
effective  force  in  the  field — the  resources  and  facilities  at 
command,  and  the  success,  which  has  already  crowned 
the  past,  and  the  conviction  will  deepen  that  the  hand  of 
the  Lord  is  in  the  work.  In  success  Providence  furnishes 
an  illustration  of  the  power  and  purity  of  Christianity ; 
and  the  effective  force,  in  the  form  of  laborers,  with  the 
facilities  and  resources  put  into  their  hands,  is  a  provi- 
dential instrumentality  made  ready  for  the  work. 

Since  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  God 
has  brought  into  the  field  a  corps  of  laborers,  and  accumu- 
lated an  instrumentality  far  surpassing  the  conception  of 
the  common  observer.     At  that  period,  they  were  but  a 


EFFICIENT    LABORERS    EMPLOYED.  227 

very  little  band, — a  few  skirmishing  parties.  Now  they 
have  become  a  thousand, — an  army  organized,  consolida- 
ted and  fm'nished.  We  are  safe  in  stating  in  round  num- 
bers the  whole  number  of  efficient  laborers  employed  in 
the  different  departments,  as  sappers  and  miners  of  the 
colossal  fabric  of  idolatry,  in  round  numbers  as  follows  : 

1,500  Ordained  ministers,  European  and  American. 

2,000  Assistants,    male    and   female,    from   the   same 
countries. 

5,000  Native  preachers  and  catechists, 
200,000  Native  members  of  churches. 
250,000  Pupils  in  mission  schools. 

In  this  short  list  we  have  an  army  of,  we  may  say, 
9,000  salaried  agents  of  benevolence,  engaged  in  preach- 
ing the  gospel,  or  in  some  of  the  varied  offices  of  educa- 
tion or  religious  instruction  ;  and  we  might  add  a  yet 
greater  number  of  unpaid  agents,  as  native  helpers,  as- 
sistants, and  sabbath  school  teachers,  who  are  furthering 
the  same  good  cause.  And  to  this  we  may  add  the  in- 
fluence, by  example  and  precept,  of  two  hundred  thou- 
sand church  members.  In  a  greater  or  less  degree  they 
are  illustrating  the  power  of  the  gospel,  and  putting  shame 
on  the  vanities  of  idolatry.  And  to  this,  again,  we  must 
add  a  less  numerous,  but  an  effective  corps  of  foreign 
helpers,  in  different  military,  civil,  mercantile  and  diplo- 
matic services.  The  influence  abroad  of  such  men  as 
Sir  Stratford  Canning  and  Sir  Edmond  Lyons  in  the  Le- 
vant, and  W.  C.  Money  and  Lord  Wm.  Bentinck  in  India, 
is  immense  beyond  computation.  Scores  of  such  men 
have  been,  and  are  still  using  the  influence  of  their  sta- 
tions, and  employing  their  great  talents  to  further  the 
cause  of  Christianity  among  the  heathen.  And  the  wealth, 
the  talent,  the  Christian  example  and  influence  of  hun- 
dreds, yea,  of  thousands,  of  devoted  men  and  women,  in 
the  more  ordinary  ranks  and  employments,  go  to  make  up 
an  immense  machinery,  furnished  by  Providence  to  carry 
forward  his  work. 

From   more   than  fifty  printing   establishments,  issue 
forth  the  Bible  and  religious  books  by  thousands,  daily, 


228  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

which  are  scattered,  by  an  agency  made  ready,  over  those 
vast  fields  of  spiritual  death. 

The  pecuniary  resources  of  the  foreign  missionary  en- 
terprise have  hkewise  become  considerable.  About 
$2,500,000  are  annually  raised  and  expended  for  this 
purpose— half  a  million  by  the  churches  in  the  United 
States,  and  two  millions  in  Europe.  The  above  aggre- 
gate includes  only  what  is  given  directly  for  this  purpose 
throuf^h  Foreign  Missionary  Societies — exclusive,  of 
course,  of  considerable  sums  contributed  to  the  same 
cause,  directly  or  indirectly,  by  foreign  residents  in  heathen 
lands,  and  of  still  larger  sums  which  go,  indirectly  at 
least,  to  favor  the  same  enterprise,  through  other  benevo- 
lent societies,  as  the  Bible,  Tract  and  Education,  Sea- 
men's Friend,  Jews,  and  Colonization.  Three  millions 
would  probably  fall  quite  within  the  limit  of  the  revenues 
of  this  branch  of  benevolence. 

In  like  manner  the  same  inventive  Providence  has 
brought  into  being,  for  the  same  purpose,  an  immense 
system  of  education  abroad.  Including  the  learners  at 
colleges,  seminaries,  high  schools,  boarding  schools,  and 
common  free  schools,  we  count  not  less  than  two  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  heathen  youth  and  adults,  who  are  re- 
ceiving a  Christian  education.  Through  these  pupils  the 
light  of  truth  is  sent — faintly  it  may  be — into  nearly  as 
many  heathen  families,  and  each  of  these  school-rooms  is 
made  a  preaching  place  for  the  missionary,  I  speak  now 
of  the  system  of  education  only  as  a  machinery  made 
ready  for  future  operations.  An  amount  of  mind  is 
hereby  rescued  from  the  ruins  of  Idolatry,  and  capacitated 
to  exert  a  tremendous  influence  in  demolishing  the  whole 
fabric.  Of  this  we  have  a  happy  illustration  in  the  edu- 
cated Hindoo  youth  at  Calcutta.  Hundreds  of  native 
young  men  are  there  educated  at  the  Hindoo  college — 
first,  they  become  sceptics — thoroughly  despise  and  aban- 
don the  fooleries  of  Hindooism,  and  as  soon  as  they  fairly 
come  in  contact  with  the  truth,  some  of  them  are  con- 
verted ;  and  there  is,  perhaps,  not  so  influential  a  class  of 
defenders  of  the  truth,  and  propagators  of  the  gospel,  as 
these  same  educated,  converted  natives.     Thus  Provi- 


EDUCATION    IN    INDIA.  229 

dence  has  secured  in  mind  a  rich  resource  for  the  further 
progress  of  the  work. 

The  moral  conquest  of  India  will  probably  be  achieved 
as  her  physical  conquest  by  the  British  has  been — by  her 
own  sons.  Our  dependence,  under  God,  lies  in  a  native 
agency.  We  may  never  hope  to  send  men  in  sufficient 
numbers  from  abroad,  to  supply  her  hundred  millions : 
nor  is  this  desirable.  An  agency  must  be  created  on  the 
field.  We  look  for  this  in  those  nurseries  of  learning 
and  religion,  which  Providence  has  raised  up  in  those 
schools. 

But  where,  as  in  most  cases,  actual  conversion  is  not 
the  result,  yet  the  number  of  readers  is  increased  by  tens 
of  thousands,  and  thus  the  field  on  which  the  good  seed 
may  be  sown  is  proportionably  enlarged. 

But  we  must  not  overlook  a  new  feature  in  education 
in  India,  for  we  shall  here  again  trace  the  footsteps  of 
Providence.  A  late  act  of  the  governor-general  has 
given  a  new  impulse  to  native  education.  Moral  and  in- 
tellectual qualifications  only,  are  henceforth  to  be  regarded 
in  conferring  governmental  offices  on  natives.  The  can- 
didates are  to  be  selected  from  the  best  qualified  in  the 
schools ;  governmental  schools,  public  or  private  schools, 
missionary  or  non-missionary,  are  all  to  be  put  on  an 
equal  footing.  This  forms  a  new  epoch  in  Indian  educa- 
tion. Heretofore  everything  has  been  ruled  by  caste,  fa- 
voritism or  patronage.  In  a  country  like  ours,  the  people 
are,  to  a  great  extent,  self-governed.  In  India,  all  offices, 
from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  are  held  by  official  agents 
appointed  directly  by  Government.  Consequently,  the 
patronage  of  Government  is  immense,  monopolizing,  all- 
absorbing.  Hence  we  can  scarcely  conceive  the  impulse 
given  to  education  the  moment  this  vast  source  of  patron- 
age is  open,  as  a  stimulant  to  the  most  deserving  in  the 
schools.  "  It  makes  the  seminaries  the  nursery  of  the 
service,  and  the  service  the  stimulant  of  the  seminaries." 
It  introduces  the  enlightened  principles  of  European 
governments,  diftuses  European  knowledge  and  science, 
(which  have  heretofore  been  confined  very  much  to  the 
capital,)  into  the  districts,  and  places  men  of  enlightened 
minds  in  situations  of  the  highest  trust  and  responsibility. 

20 


230  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

And  Indian  education  presents  another  new  feature 
worthy  of  a  passing  remark.  But  a  few  years  since 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  immense  educational  patronage 
of  the  East  India  Company's  government  went  to  pro- 
mote oriental  learning,  and  of  consequence  to  nurture 
Hindoo  superstition  and  Idolatry.  Now,  thanks  to 
Heaven  for  the  wise  and  philanthropic  policy  of  Lord 
William  Bentinck,  truth,  in  the  form  of  European  Htera- 
erature  and  science,  has  taken  the  place  of  falsehood  and 
error,  as  formerly  taught  amidst  the  dreary  lore  of  ori- 
entalism. And  if  nothing  were  at  work  to  undermine 
and  demolish  the  whole  fabric  of  Brahminical  supersti- 
tion, this  would  do  it ;  so  interwoven  is  Hindoo  learning 
and  Hindoo  religion,  that  one  must  fall  with  the  other. 
Thus  mightily  is  the  hand  of  God  at  work  to  demolish 
falsehood,  and  build  up  truth  in  that  vast  country. 

Akin  to  this  is  another  providential  feature.  The 
Hindoo  law  of  inheritance  heretofore  presented  a  most 
formidable  obstacle  to  the  conversion  of  that  people. 
The  moment  a  man  forsook  the  religion  of  his  fathers,  he 
made  a  complete  forfeiture  of  property  and  rights.  He 
beggared  himself  and  his  family.  But  He  in  whose  hands 
are  the  hearts  of  all  men,  has  moved  on  the  minds  of  the 
ruling  powers,  to  remove  this  obstacle  too.  The  Govern- 
ment, by  assuming  the  ground  in  a  late  act,  that  "  all  the 
religions  professed  by  any  of  its  subjects  shall  be  equally 
tolerated  and  protected,"  has,  at  a  blow,  annihilated  one 
of  the  most  formidable  obstacles  to  the  conversion  of  the 
Hindoos.  The  Hindoo  or  the  Mohammedan  may  now 
become  a  Christian,  and  abandon  his  caste,  and  yet  suffer 
no  disability  or  oppression. 

Another  important  item  in  this  connection,  is  the  late 
divorce  of  the  English  Government  from  all  patronage  of 
Idolatry.  Formerly  large  appropriations,  as  a  result  of 
treaty  stipulations,  were  made  to  the  support  of  certain 
temples  and  Brahminical  establishments,  and  a  ruinous 
patronage  was  lent  to  certain  pilgrimages  and  festivals, 
especially  those  of  .luganauth  ;  and  a  very  unchristian- 
like  indulgence  was  granted  to  certain  cruel  and  abom- 
inable rites  and  practices.  The  prohibition  of  infanticide 
was  the  first  decisive  act  of  the  Governmenl — ^the  sup- 


PROGRESS  IN  TOLERATION.  231 

pression  of  the  suttee  followed  ;  and  after  a  few  years 
more  the  Government  completely  divorced  itself  from  the 
vile  and  abominable  thing  which  God  hates ;  and  we 
may  now  expect  that  the  influence  of  that  Government, 
in  the  final  suppression  of  Idolatry,  and  the  establishment 
of  Christianity,  shall  be  vastly  increased. 

But  progress  in  Toleration,  so  distinctly  marking  a 
providential  movement  in  the  advancement  of  truth  in 
the  world,  is  not  confined  to  India.  Similar  edicts  have 
recently  gone  out  from  the  Emperor  of  China,  and  from 
the  Sublime  Porte  of  the  Turkish  empire.  In  reply  to  a 
petition  of  the  High  Commissioner,  Keying,  the  Emperor 
of  China  has  decreed  toleration  to  Christianity  ;  and  the 
Sultan  of  Turkey  "  engages  to  take  effectual  measures  to 
prevent,  henceforward,"  the  persecution  and  putting  to 
death  of  the  man  who  shall  change  his  religion.  The 
bold,  fearless  and  energetic  remonstrance  of  Lord  Aber- 
deen, organ  of  the  British  Government,  in  a  letter  ad- 
dressed (1844)  to  Sir  Statford  Canning,  Embassador  at 
Constantinople,  speaks  the  mandates  of  Providence  at 
the  present  day.     Opinion  shall  be  free. 

So  much  for  facilities  and  resources.  Let  us  now  see 
what  preparation  for  future  progress  there  is  in  the  success 
which  has  already  attended  our  missionary  enterprises. 
We  shall  again  see  that  the  fields  are  white  already  for 
the  harvest — the  reapers  stand  with  sickle  in  hand — an 
immense  power  is  accumulated  for  future  progress.  Past 
success  not  only  supplies  materials  for  future  progress,  but 
it  indicates  the  removal  of  obstacles,  and  holds  out  the 
most  cheering  encouragement  to  a  still  more  rapid  suc- 
cess, and  carries  conviction  to  the  mind  of  the  heathen 
of  the  power  of  Christianity. 

What,  then,  has  been  done  ?  It  will  subserve  our  pre- 
sent purpose  to  confine  our  inquiries  chiefly  to  India, 
Birmah,  and  the  islands  of  the  Pacific. 

The  provinces  of  Krishnugar,  Tinnevelly,  Madura, 
Ceylon,  and  Western  India,  afford  not  only  a  wide  and 
eflfectual  doo7^  for  the  entrance  of  the  missionary,  but  an 
unprecedented  vantage  ground  has  been  gained  at  these 
points  for  the  prosecution  of  all  future  labors ;  and  they 


232  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

may  therefore  very  justly  be  introduced  here  as  illustra- 
tions of  the  present  providential  condition  of  the  world. 

Krishnugar,  a  province  in  Bengal,  was  a  strong-hold  of 
Brahmanism.  No  efforts  seem  to  have  been  made  for  its 
conversion  till  1832,  when  a  few  schools  were  estab- 
lished. Preaching  commenced  in  1835.  The  next  year 
thirty-five  were  admitted  to  the  church — the  word  was 
preached,  and  five  hundred  inquirers  were  found  seeking 
the  way  of  life.  From  that  time  the  work  made  a  gradual 
yet  irresistible  progress,  till  it  has  at  length  extended  to 
no  less  than  seventy-two  villages,  and  numbers  as  the 
subjects  of  its  power,  more  than  five  thousand  converts. 
Churches  have  been  erected,  and  filled  with  attentive  and 
devout  hearers  ;  and  schools  established  in  which  some 
thousands  are  receiving  a  Christian  education.  Christian 
ordinances  are  instituted ;  the  gospel  preached,  and  the 
press  is  sending  out  the  leaves  of  the  tree  of  life.  A  ter- 
ritory of  eighty  miles  in  extent  is  thus  brought  under  re- 
ligious culture.  A  fire  is  here  kindled,  whose  light  may 
shine  far  and  wide  over  the  vast  regions  of  darkness 
which  still  cover  India — an  altar  erected  there  from  which 
may  be  taken  coals  to  light  up  more  fires  throughout  those 
dismal  regions  of  death. 

The  Bishop  of  Calcutta,  after  visiting  this  province, 
thus  describes  the  progress  of  improvement  since  the 
work  commenced  :  "  A  few  months  since  all  was  jungle — 
now  every  thing  is  teeming  with  Christian  civilization. 
What  building  is  this  ?  I  asked.  "  It  is  the  girls'  school." 
And  this  ?  "  The  house  for  the  mistress.''  And  that 
large  building  ?  "  The  mission  house."  And  those  small 
ones  ?  "  They  are  out-offices."  And  that  wall  ?  "  It 
incloses  the  garden."  And  where  is  the  new  church,  of 
which  you  talk,  to  stand  ?  "  Here,"  was  the  answer, 
"  and  I  will  show  you  the  ground  plan."  It  was  like 
magic.  And  not  a  brick  of  all  this  had  been  laid  when 
I  passed  through  the  same  place  in  1839.  What  a  bless- 
ing is  Christianity!  How  it  raises,  civilizes,  dignifies 
man !  How  it  turns,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively,  the 
wilderness  and  solitary  place  into  the  garden  of  the 
Lord ! 

In  the  progress  the  gospel  has  made  in  the  southern 


PROGRESS    OF    CHRISTIANITY    IN    INDIA.  233 

portion  of  the  peninsula,  we  meet  the  same  pledge  of 
futm^e  success — a  promising  starting  point  for  future  oper- 
ations. "  In  Tinnevelly,"  says  the  same  authority,  Bishop 
Wilson,  "  the  word  of  the  Lord  runs  and  is  glorified  more 
rapidly,  and  to  a  far  wider  extent.  The  inquirers  and 
converts  of  the  Gospel  Propagation,  and  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Societies,  amount  to  thirty-five  thousand.  Such 
awakenings  have  not  been  surpassed  since  the  days  of 
the  apostles,  and  there  seems  every  prospect  of  all  the 
South  of  India,  containing  millions  of  souls,  becoming, 
ere  long,  the  Lord's." 

Some  idea  may  be  got  of  the  progress  of  Christianity 
in  Southern  India,  from  the  following  statistics  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society.  There  are  connected  with 
this  single  institution,  aside  from  the  missionaries  them- 
selves, the  following  native  agency :  267  native  cate- 
chists — 192  school-masters — 6,842  baptized  persons,  1,245 
of  whom  were  added  the  last  year — 19,706  candidates 
for  baptism — 1,468  communicants — 30,000  persons  under 
Christian  instruction — and  461  villages  under  the  care 
of  the  Mission.  "  The  power  of  divine  grace,"  says  one, 
"  seems  to  me  to  have  been  so  sudden  and  mighty  as  to 
strike  with  wonder  every  mind  susceptible  of  religious 
impressions."  "  I  have  but  very  Httle  doubt,"  writes 
another,  "  the  whole  population  of  Tinnevelly  will  soon 
renounce  Heathenism  and  come  over  to  Christianity," 

If  regarded  in  no  other  light,  what  resources  has  Provi- 
dence here  gathered,  in  the  operations  and  success  of  this 
single  society,  for  the  future  prosecution  of  the  work. 
And  were  we  to  add  here  similar  items  furnished  by  the 
Reports  of  the  American  Board,  the  London  and  other 
Missionary  societies,  we  should  discover  a  cumulative 
power  by  which  to  act  in  time  to  come,  truly  encour- 
aging ;  especially  when  taken  in  connection  with  the  open 
door  of  access,  and  the  readiness  of  the  native  mind  to 
receive  the  gospel.  Hundreds  of  villages  have  cast  away 
their  idols,  and  not  a  few  are  the  temples  which  have  been 
unceremoniously  cleared  of  the  emblems  of  idolatry,  and 
elevated  to  the  worship  of  the  true  God.  These  are 
verdant  spots  on  which  the  good  seed  has  taken  root,  and 

20* 


234  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

fruit  is  now  abundantly  ripening  with  which  to  feed  the 
famishing  tribes  around. 

The  American  Mission  at  Madura  has  seven  churches, 
fifteen  stated  congregations,  one  seminary,  five  boarding- 
schools,  ninety  free  schools,  and  four  thousand  pupils  in 
the  various  stages  of  learning.  Forty  villages  have  put 
themselves  under  the  care  of  the  Mission,  and  one  hun- 
dred would  do  the  same  if  the  number  of  missionaries 
would  allow  of  assuming  such  a  responsibility. 

A  specimen  of  the  preparedness  of  this  field  to  receive 
the  good  seed,  may  be  gathered  from  a  late  appeal  of  the 
American  Mission  at  Madura :  "  We  are  not  aware,"  say 
they,  "  that  there  is,  on  the  whole  district  of  Madura,  a 
town,  village  or  hamlet,  in  which  we  could  not,  as  far  as 
the  feelings  of  the  people  are  concerned,  establish  schools 
and  Christian  instruction  to  any  extent  your  pecuniary 
means  will  allow.  The  whole  district,  in  the  most  accu- 
rate and  strictest  sense,  is  open  to  the  reception  of  divine 
truth  and  the  Christian  teacher.  Yea,  more — there  is 
scarcely  a  town  or  village  from  which  we  have  not  re- 
ceived a  formal  request,  an  earnest  entreaty  to  send  them 
a  teacher.  A  population  surrounds,  us,  who  speak  one 
language,  equalling  more  than  half  that  of  the  United 
States.  From  one  end  of  the  land  to  the  other,  in  city, 
town  or  country,  the  living  minister  will  find  the  way 
prepared  before  him,  to  preach  the  tidings  of  a  Saviour's 
love,  and  to  distribute  all  the  Bibles  and  Tracts  the  Amer- 
ican church  will  furnish."  Again  the  same  missionaries 
say,  "  Never  do  we  pass  through  the  streets  of  these  vil- 
lages without  being  assailed  by  the  question.  Why  do  you 
not  send  a  missionary  here  ? — we  will  receive  him  gladly  ; 
we  will  send  our  children  to  your  schools ;  you  must  not 
pass  us  by." 

Such  language  is  true,  too,  of  other  parts  of  India. 
Every  missionary  station  is  a  door  of  entrance  to  a  wide 
field  beyond.  And  more  than  this  is  true  :  the  Bible  and 
the  religious  book  is  going  before  the  living  preacher, 
and  preparing  fields  for  his  future  labors,  and  creating 
demands  which  nothing  but  evangelical  truth  can  satisfy. 
On  a  tour  in  the  Northern  Concan,  beyond  the  reach  of 
any  direct  missionary  labors.  Dr.  Wilson  finds  a  Brah- 


•      PROMISE    OF    COMPLETE    SUCCESS.  235 

min  reading  a  portion  of  the  New  Testament  to  a  com- 
pany of  natives  who  are  eagerly  Hstening.  In  Goozarat 
he  meets  some  natives,  about  one  hundred  in  number, 
residing  in  seven  different  places,  at  considerable  distances 
apart,  who  professed  to  be  converts  to  Christianity.  He 
found,  on  inquiry,  they  had  not  had  intercourse  with  any 
missionary,  but  had  received  the  knowledge  they  pos- 
sessed of  Christianity  principally  from  books,  aided  by  a 
native  Christian  from  Bengal.  They  had  openly  pro- 
fessed Christianity,  one  of  their  number  acting  as  their 
head  and  teacher.  "  I  believe,"  says  the  same  mission- 
ary, "  that  instances  of  this  nature  are  not  unfrequent." 

Another  missionary  has  recently  reported  a  very  sim- 
ilar case.  "  Recently  two  men  came  from  another  vil- 
lage, to  inform  us  that  a  thousand  persons — in  conse- 
quence of  reading  some  of  our  books — were  desirous  of 
putting  themselves  under  our  protection.  The  same 
messengers  mentioned  half  a  dozen  villages  where  a  sim- 
ilar change  has  been  produced  by  the  reading  of  Chris- 
tian books." 

Says  Mr.  Mather,  of  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
*'  I  had  an  interview  with  Mr.  Hill,  at  Berhampore,  and 
he  told  me  that  he  and  Mr.  Lacroix  were  in  conference 
with  about  five  hundred  natives,  who  were  promising  to 
come  over  to  Christianity."  And  "  about  a  year  ago  a 
proposal  was  made  by  a  sect  of  about  two  hundred  per- 
sons, that  I  should  be  their  Gooroo,  (spiritual  guide,)  that 
they  would  attend  my  instructions,  and  that  together  we 
would  fully  investigate  Christianity." 

Such  cases  as  the  following  are  now  occurring  :  While 
a  missionary  was  waiting  at  a  rest-house,  he  "  saw  the 
villagers  assemble,  and  heard  them  addressed  on  the  folly 
and  wickedness  of  Idolatry,  by  a  native,  who  was  also  a 
resident  of  the  village.  This  man  was  not  acquainted 
with  any  missionary,  but  had  learned  what  he  knew  of 
the  truth  from  books  and  tracts." 

Such  instances  afford  delightful  testimony,  not  only 
that  the  field  is  ripe  for  the  harvest,  but  that  there  are 
agencies  at  work,  which  facilitate  the  progress  of  evan- 
gelization in  a  ratio  hitherto  unknown,  and  give  pleasing 
promise  of  speedy  and  complete  success. 


HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

And  here  I  would  not  withhold  again  the  high  author- 
ity of  Bishop  Wilson  ;  who,  after  a  residence  of  some  fif- 
teen years  in  India,  discourses  thus  :  "  The  fields  in  India 
are  white  already  for  the  harvest.  Nothing  has,  I  be- 
lieve, been  seen  like  it.  An  outburst  of  the  native  mind 
seems  at  hand.  The  diffusion  of  education  ;  the  striking 
benefits  of  medical  science ;  the  opening  of  an  exhaust- 
less  commerce  on  all  hands;  the  recently  ascertained 
riches  of  the  soil ;  the  extent  and  magnificence  of  the  riv- 
ers and  mines ;  its  superb  harbors,  including  its  almost 
interminable  coasts ;  the  rapid  increase  of  settlers  from 
Great  Britain  and  America ;  the  security  of  person  and 
property  under  British  rule  ;  the  number  of  offices  thrown 
open  to  native  merit ;  the  railroad  contemplated  and  al- 
most begun ;  and  the  incredible  rapidity  of  communica- 
tion by  steam,  uniting  the  whole  world,  as  it  were,  into 
one  vast  family,  are  bringing  on  a  crisis  in  the  native 
mind  most  favorable  to  the  introduction  of  Christianity." 
Again  the  Bishop  speaks  of  his  "  firm  belief  that  Hindoo- 
ism  will  soon  altogether  hide  its  head — the  crescent  of 
Mohammed  already  turns  pale — w^orn  out  and  effete  su- 
perstition sinking  before  the  mere  progress  of  science  and 
civilization,  before  the  startling  knowledge  of  history,  the 
lights  of  chronological  learning  and  the  laws  of  evidence, 
of  the  incredible  progress  of  religious  principle ;  of  the 
more  favorable  disposition  of  Indian  rulers  towards  Chris- 
tianity ;  and  of  the  decidedly  improved  moral  and  reli- 
gious character  of  the  servants  of  the  Honorable  Com- 
pany." All  of  which  help  to  make  up  the  sum  total  of 
what  God  is  doing  to  prepare  that  vast  and  populous  land 
to  receive  the  gospel  of  his  Son. 

Similar  testimony  flows  in  upon  us,  unsolicited,  from 
other  quarters.  The  excellent  Rhenius,  German  mission- 
ary in  Southern  India,  says,  "  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is 
certainly  magnifying  his  name  in  these  parts ;  Idolatry  is 
rapidly  diminishing ;  this  wilderness  begins  everywhere 
to  blossom  ;  many  souls  are  delivered,  not  only  from  the 
bondage  of  Idolatry,  but  from  sin  in  general ;  villages  are 
coming  in  constantly,  casting  away  their  idols,  and  giving 
up  their  temples  to  be  used  as  Christian  churches.  I 
could  furnish  you  with  cooley  loads  of  their  neglected 


INCREASING  SPIRIT  OF  INQUIRY.  237 

idols."  Say  the  corresponding  committee  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  "  The  barriers  of  caste  are  rapidly 
breaking  down ;  there  is  an  increasing  spirit  of  inquiry 
about  religion,  and  for  moral  and  religious  instruction  ; 
deep-rooted  prejudice  against  religious  instruction  no 
longer  general ;  the  promotion  of  secular  education  a 
leading  topic."  "  A  great  desire  has  arisen  among  the 
youth  of  Calcutta  to  obtain  and  read  the  New  Testament. 
We  have  not  to  go  as  formerly,  and  beg  them  to  accept 
it.  They  come  of  their  own  accord,  and  solicit  this 
blessed  book.  This  desire  is  now  prevalent  among  the 
pupils  and  students  of  schools  of  all  grades." 

A  feather  indicates  the  course  of  the  wind — so  little 
facts  are  sure  pledges  of  great  and  wide-spread  changes : 
"  Young  Hindoos,  who  have  received  an  English  education, 
are  establishing  English  schools  in  their  own  villages,  and 
thus  render  themselves  useful  to  their  country,  and  effect- 
ually advance  the  truth.  Rich  zemindars  pay  them  a 
small  salary,  and  the  parents  of  the  children  contribute 
their  share  for  their  support." 

Brahmins  see  the  impending  danger,  and  use  every  ef- 
fort to  turn  it  away ;  yet  they  say,  "  When  Christianity 
obtains  a  permanent  influence,  we  shall  join  your  ranks." 
They  are  not  ignorant  of  the  influence  of  Christian 
schools  over  the  minds  of  their  youth.  One  recently 
said,  "  As  soon  as  the  boys  learn  to  read,  they  become 
Christians ;  hence  I  take  my  boy  from  school."  A 
wealthy  Brahmin,  near  Benares,  recently  gave  up  his  son 
into  the  hands  of  a  missionary  with  these  remarkable 
words  :  "  I  feel  convinced,  after  reading  your  sacred  Shas- 
ters,  that  they  contain  the  true  religion.  I  have  not  the 
power  to  come  up  to  the  purity  of  its  precepts,  but  here 
is  my  son,  take  him  as  your  child ;  feed  him  at  your  ta- 
ble, and  bring  him  up  a  Christian  ;  at  the  same  time  making 
over  to  him  ten  thousand  rupees,  (five  thousand  dollars,) 
to  defray  the  expenses  of  his  son's  education."  This  is 
a  new  thing  in  India.  The  effect  on  the  mind  of  the 
Hindoos  will  be  incalculable  ;  a  heavier  blow  has  perhaps 
never  been  struck  on  the  strong-holds  of  Idolatry. 

In  no  part  of  the  great  field  has  God  provided  a  more 
powerful  moral  momentum  for  the  future  progress  of  the 


HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

work  than  in  Ceylon,  Birmah,  and  China.  But  we  may 
here  forego  details.  Were  we  to  take  a  survey  of  those 
countriesfas  providentially  opened,  and  of  the  work  as 
already  in  progress  there,  we  should  meet  the  same  open 
field,  the  same  preparation  of  mind,  the  same  accumula- 
tion of  power  by  which  to  urge  onward  the  evangelical 
car,  which  we  have  seen  in  the  instances  already  con- 
templated :  missions  established  and  a  fund  of  experi- 
ence gained ;  obstacles  removed ;  translations  of  the 
Scriptures,  the  press  at  work,  and  a  store  of  religious 
books  made  ready  ;  a  strong  native  agency,  and  efficient, 
extended  educational  systems  in  readiness  for  the  work, 
and  extended  mental  preparation  in  many  thousands  of 
native  minds,  all  so  many  resources  and  facilities  in  the 
hands  of  God  for  the  future  progress  of  the-  work. 

A  voice  from  the  four  winds  proclaims  the  no  distant 
fall  of  Paganism.  It  speaks  of  the  "  crumbling  of  idol 
temples,"  "  colleges  of  Hindoo  learning  deserted,"  "  gen- 
eral abatement  of  prejudice  against  Christianity,"  "  the 
gradual  increasing  influence  of  missions  and  respect  for 
missionaries,"  "  six  thousand  eight  hundred  natives  con- 
verted through  the  Church  Missionary  Society  the  last 
year,"  "every  prospect  that  India  will,  perhaps,  in  a  sin- 
gle generation,  renounce  Idolatry."  Indeed,  writes  one, 
"  the  feeling  is  becoming  general  among  the  people  of  the 
East,  that  some  extraordinary  change  is  at  hand,  which 
is  to  be  effected  through  the  diffusion  of  Christianity." 
And  well  may  they  look  for  such  an  event  when  they  see 
so  much  that  is  ominous  in  the  signs  of  the  times ;  in  the 
neglect  of  rites  and  ceremonies  essential  to  their  idol- 
atrous systems  ;  in  the  divisions  and  schisms  among  their 
priests,  as  in  the  fierce  conflicts  recently  carried  on  in 
Bombay  and  Calcutta ;  in  the  conversion  to  Christianity 
of  not  a  few  of  their  priests  ;  in  the  public  discussions,  as 
in  Calcutta,  where  mighty  champions  for  the  truth  and 
for  the  demolition  of  Brahminism  have  been  raised  up 
from  the  people  themselves  ;  in  the  many  newspapers  and 
periodicals,  both  for  and  against  Christianity,  published  in 
Calcutta,  Bombay,  and  Madrass,  and  in  the  already  wide 
diffusion  of  Christian  and  European  learning. 

In  the  sacred  city  of  Benares,  among  the  gorgeous 


ISLANDS    OF  THE    PACIFIC.  239 

monuments  of  Idolatry,  stands  a  remarkable  shaft,  which 
is  reputed  once  to  have  towered  to  the  very  clouds,  but 
has  been  gradually  sinking  for  many  years.  This  the 
Hindoos  regard  as  an  index  to  their  waning  and  sinking 
religion.  When  the  shaft  shall  have  sunk  to  the  surface, 
and  mother  earth  shall  close  in  upon  it,  Hindooism  shall 
be  no  more. 


CHAPTER  XIII, 


The  field  prepared.  Islands  of  the  Pacific.  Native  agency.  Liberality  of  native 
Churches.  Outpouring  of  the  Spirit  and  answers  to  Prayer.  The  first  Monday  of 
January.  Timing  of  things.  England  in  India — her  influence.  Success,  a  cumula- 
tive force  for  progress.    The  world  at  the  feet  of  the  Church. 

"  Look  on  the  fields^  for  they  are  white  already  to  harvest.''^ 

Before  closing  our  review  of  Pagan  territories,  we 
must  cast  a  glance  over  the  isle-dotted  waters  of  the 
Pacific.  Here  God  is  doing  a  new  thing  under  the  sun ; 
is  constructing  a  new  world,  perhaps  another  continent, 
through  the  instrumentality  of  an  infinite  number  of  in- 
significant animalcules.  Numerous  islands,  smiling  in  all 
the  luxuriance  of  a  new  creation,  have  arisen  from  the 
bottom  of  the  ocean,  fabricated  by  the  incessant  toils  of 
these  minute  workmen.  They  rise  to  the  surface  of  the 
water,  the  waves  contribute  to  convey  materials  to  form 
a  soil ;  the  birds  of  the  air  are  commissioned  to  brins^  and 
plant  seeds  on  them ;  a  luxuriant  vegetation  springs  up ; 
man  at  length  comes,  and  a  new  field  is  open  for  the  rav- 
ages of  sin,  and  a  new  field  over  which  victorious  grace 
shall  yet  raise  her  victorious  banners. 

We  have  already  traced  the  hand  of  God  in  bringing 
these  several  groups  of  islands  to  the  notice  of  the  civil- 
ized world  and  of  the  church ;  how  it  was  done  just  at 
the  right  time  ;  when  religion  and  knowledge  had  become 


240  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

matured  for  a  vigorous  onset  upon  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness ;  when  an  unwonted  spirit  of  benevolence  had  been 
roused  in  the  church,  and  the  angel  of  evangeUsm  was 
prepared  for  his  immortal  flight.  We  are  now  concerned 
only  with  the  present  condition  of  those  islands.  They 
have  already,  for  the  most  part,  been  brought  within  the 
dominions  of  nominal  Christianity.  Ninety  islands  are 
said  to  have  received  the  law  of  their  God,  and  a  popula- 
tion of  some  four  hundred  thousand  have  nominally  em- 
braced Christianity.  Eight  of  these  islands  have  been 
converted  solely  through  a  native  agency,  and  forty  or 
fifty  are,  at  the  present  time,  under  the  instruction  of 
none  but  native  laborers.  In  schools,  in  the  power  of  the 
press,  in  a  religious  literature,  in  the  experience  and  abil- 
ity of  laborers,  in  governmental  protection,  and  aid,  and 
in  a  consistent  exemplification  of  the  power  of  Chris- 
tianity in  a  multitude  of  converts,  perhaps  God  has  no- 
where accumulated  a  more  eificient  power  for  the  future 
prosecution  of  his  work.* 

In  four  groups  of  these  islands,  where,  thirty  years  ago, 
the  people  were  gross  idolaters  and  cannibals,  are  now 
forty  thousand  church  members.  Ina  district  of  the  isl- 
and of  New  Zealand,  the  average  attendance  on  divine 
worship  is  seven  thousand  five  hundred,  and  one  thou- 
sand four  hundred  candidates  for  baptism.  From  the 
Sandwich  Islands  we  now  receive  such  reports  as  these : 
Printed  by  the  mission,  in  a  single  year,  ten  and  a  half 
millions  of  pages,  nearly  half  of  which  were  the  Scrip- 
tures ;  seven  boarding-schools  with  three  hundred  and 
sixty-one  scholars  ;  four  select  schools  ;  a  boarding-school 
for  the  children  of  the  chiefs ;  a  mission  seminary  with 
one  hundred  pupils,  to  which  is  attached  a  theological 
class ;  a  female  seminary  with  sixty  pupils,   and  three 

*  We  may  take  the  following  as  a  specimen  of  the  influence  of  the  school  system  on  the 
future  destinies  of  the  people  :  The  seminary  at  Lahainaluna  (Sandwich  Islands,)  has 
sent  out  two  hundred  and  ninety-six  pupils,  of  whom  forty-two  have  died,  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty-four  in  the  field.  Of  these,  one  hundred  and  eigrht  are  engaged  in  the 
work  of  teaching;  forty-three  in  the  service  of  government ;  thirty-one,  though  not  en- 
gaged Ml  teaching,  are  usefully  employed  in  letting  their  light  shine.  Of  the  remaining 
seventy-eight,  some  are  engaged  in  honorable  employments,  while  others  are  idle,  or 
worse  than  idle.  One  hundred  and  fifteen  are  in  good  standing  in  the  church.  The  in- 
stitution  is  thus  scattering  blessings  throughout  the  islands ;  its  graduates  are  every- 
where the  leading  members  of  society,  in  matters,  civil,  religious,  and  literary.  "In 
manual  labor  they  are  several  times  more  valuable  than  other  natives,  having  acquired 
habits  of  industry,  and  learned  how  to  work  while  at  school." 


SCHOOLS  AND  TEACHERS.  241 

hundred  and  fifty-seven  common  schools,  taught  by  five 
hundred  and  five  teachers,  and  containing  twenty  thou- 
sand scholars.  And  to  this  prospective,  though  already 
in  a  degree  effective,  force,  we  add  the  daily  preach- 
ing and  the  faithful  instructions  of  eighty  mission- 
aries and  assistant  missionaries,  with  six  hundred  native 
teachers  and  catechists,  with  the  goodly  profession  and 
the  ordinary  activities  of  twenty-four  thousand  church 
members,  and  several  thousands  of  inquirers  and  candi- 
dates, who,  in  the  judgment  of  charity,  are  the  children  of 
God,  and  we  have  before  us  an  instrumentality  by  which 
we  may  expect  soon  to  see  all  those  beautiful  islands  laid 
at  the  feet  of  the  Redeemer ;  and  vast  resources  secured 
for  the  prosecution  of  the  work  elsewhere.  Or  who  can 
contemplate  the  vast  amount  of  knowledge  and  civiliza- 
tion that  has  been  secured  in  other  islands  of  the  Pa- 
cific ;  the  Christian  instruction  that  has  been  imparted ; 
the  educational  systems  that  are  in  operation  ;  the  mis- 
sionary experience  that  has  been  gained ;  the  native 
agency  that  is  prepared  ;  and  the  divine  power  that  has 
been  exemplified  by  tens  of  thousands  of  living  examples, 
and  not  read  in  these  things  a  sure  pledge  for  the  speedy 
consummation  of  the  work  ? 

Or  who  can  look  for  a  moment  at  the  Feegee  Islands, 
and  not  be  impressed  that  now  is  the  accepted  year  of 
the  Lord  ?  Where,  but  a  few  years  ago,  was  a  popula- 
tion of  gross,  greedy  cannibals,  now  are  happy,  peacelul 
communities. 

There  is,  perhaps,  at  present,  not  a  more  marked  or  en- 
couraging feature  of  the  missionary  work  than  the  prev- 
alent conviction  of  the  value  of  a  native  agency,  and  the 
fact  that  every  principal  mission  is  directing  its  efforts 
especially  to  create  such  an  agency.  Mission  col- 
leges, in  full  growth  or  in  embryo,  with  a  theological 
class  attached,  are  fast  gathering  in  the  choicest  material 
from  the  lower  schools,  and  preparing  it  for  future  service. 
A  new  agency  is  thus  coming  into  existence,  whose  pro- 
gress is  in  geometrical  ratio,  and  which  shall,  ere  long, 
supply  a  native  ministry,  native  preachers,  literati,  pro- 
fessional men  of  all  classes  ;  book-makers  and  publishers  ; 
civilians,  statesmen,  and  rulers.     No  feature,  perhaps, 

21 


242  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

more  distinctly  indicates  the  designs  of  Providence  in  ref- 
erence to  the  conversion  of  the  world.  Hopeless,  indeed, 
is  the  task  of  ever  supplying  the  heathen  world  with 
preachers  from  abroad  ;  but  the  work  assumes  another  as- 
pect the  moment  the  eye  turns  to  the  native  agency,  which, 
in  germ  at  least,  is  met  in  every  mission  school  and  sem- 
inary from  Oregon  to  Japan,  east  or  west.  Such  agency 
is  already  acting  far  more  extensively  and  efficiently, 
perhaps,  than  is  generally  known.  The  late  German 
missionary..  Rhenius,  was  wont  to  preach  in  one  hundred 
villages  on  every  Sabbath  day.  That  number  of  native 
preachers  and  catechists,  on  Saturday,  received  the  word 
at  his  mouth,  and  thence  went  and  preached  in  as  many 
different  places.  Some  entire  printing  establishments,  as 
the  extensive  one  in  Bombay,  are  conducted  wholly  by 
native  skill  and  labor.*  Extensive  school  establishments 
are,  in  their  details,  carried  on  by  the  same  agency.  We 
wonder  how  a  single  missionary  can  act  as  pastor  to  a 
church  of  eight  thousand  members,  scattered  over  an  almost 
inaccessible  country  of  thirty  miles  in  extent.  The  won- 
der ceases  when  told  that  this  church  embraces  thirty 
congregations,  which  assemble  in  -  as  many  different 
places,  under  the  immediate  care  and  instruction  of  as 
many  catechists  or  sub-pastors.  The  heads  of  depart- 
ments and  the  funds,  in  the  missionary  work,  must,  for 
some  time  to  come,  be  furnished  principally  from  abroad, 
but  the  details  of  the  work  are  fast  passing  into  native 
hands.  Some  fifty  islands  in  the  Pacific  are  said  already 
to  be  under  the  instruction  of  natives  alone.  "  Mount 
Lebanon,"  says  a  high  authority,  "  will  furnish  missiona- 
ries for  the  sixty  millions  speaking  the  Arabic  language, 
and  noble  missionaries  too."' 

Another  promising  feature  is  the  liberality  and  self- 
denial  of  the  native  churches.  In  their  deep  poverty 
they  are  contributing  liberally  to  send  the  gospel  to 
the  dark  regions  beyond  them.     The  American  Board 


Thomas  Graham,  the  superintendent  of  the  American  press  at  Bombay,  was  one  of 
those  young  lads  who  accompanied  the  Rev.  Gordon  Hall  on  his  late  tour,  and  alone 
witnessed  the  dymg  moments  of  that  excellent  man,  and  gave  him  his  humble  sepul- 
lure,  lar  Irom  friends,  and  among  idolatrous  strangers.  Thomas  was  a  poor  boy,  who 
vtr.  ft'"?v""^^'"^"^.r*^.S'"^°'"^^^®  mission;  was  nurtured  and  elevated  by  them— con- 
r«  «pH  t^f\-  ^''"'^^^  of  God— and,  after  rendering  various  useful  services,  was  at  length 
raised  to  this  responsible  and  important  trust. 


NATIVE    CONTRIBUTIONS.  243 

recently  reported  one  hundred  dollars  received  from  a 
church  at  the  Sandw^ich  Islands  for  the  education  of  a 
girl  in  the  female  seminary  in  Ceylon,  collected  during 
one  year  at  the  monthly  concert  for  prayer.  Mr.  Wil- 
Hams  tells  a  beautiiul  story  in  point  here.  When  on  a 
visit  to  the  native  Christians  at  Aitutaki,  he  was  explain- 
ing the  manner  in  w^hich  the  British  Christians  raised 
money  ta  send  the  gospel  to  the  heathen.  They  ex- 
pressed their  regret  that  they  had  no  money  to  give.  He 
replied :  "  If  you  have  no  money,  you  have  something  to 
buy  money  with."  What  ?  "  The  pigs  I  brought  you  ; 
they  have  increased  abundantly,  and  if  every  family 
would  set  apart  one,  and  when  the  ships  come,  sell  them 
for  money,  a  valuable  contribution  might  be  raised." 
The  idea  delighted  them ;  and  the  next  morning  the 
squealing  of  pigs,  which  were  receiving  a  mark  in  the 
ear  for  the  purpose,  was  heard  from  one  end  of  the  set- 
tlement to  the  other.  A  ship  came  ;  the  pledges  were 
sold,  and  the  avails  realized ;  and  soon  the  native  treas- 
urer paid  over  for  missionary  purposes  £l03.  It  was 
their j^r^i  money. 

We  are  permitted  to  chronicle  such  instances  as  the 
following  :  The  people  of  Tahiti  and  of  the  neighboring 
islands,  contributed  £527  in  one  year  to  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society.  The  London  Missionary  Soci- 
ety acknowledged  in  one  year,  £17,748  from  their  mis- 
sion churches ;  £5,000  of  which  was  from  Southern  In- 
dia, as  a  contribution  to  the  Jubilee  Fund ;  half  of  the 
latter  sum  was  contributed  by  the  native  church  at  Na- 
gercoil;  £l60  at  one  station  in  Jamaica.  The  English 
Baptist  Missionary  Society  report  £  1,200  contributed  in 
a  single  year  by  their  mission  churches  towards  the  sup- 
port of  their  pastors.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Davis,  pastor  of  a 
mission  church  of  Africans,  at  New  Amsterdam,  South 
America,  says,  "  During  the  five  years  of  my  pastorate 
there,  that  congregation  contributed  £7,000  to  various 
objects  of  charity."  As  early  as  1821,  we  find  a  native 
missionary  society  organized  at  Tahiti,  and  a  "  great  num- 
ber of  missionaries  sent  thence  to  other  islands."  The 
church  at  Hilo,  Sandwich  Islands,  contributed  to  different 
benevolent  purposes,  from  four  hundred  to  six  hundred 


244  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

dollars  annually.  The  Sandwich  Island  churches  con- 
tributed last  year,  thirteen  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
eighty-two  dollars,  to  difterent  benevolent  purposes,  five 
thousand  of  which  came  from  the  Hawaiian  Bible  Soci- 
ety, which  is  one  of  the  best  auxiliary  Bible  Societies  in 
the  world. 

Much  importance  may,  very  justly,  be  attached  to  the 
self-denying  and  benevolent  spirit  of  these  churches,  as 
indicative  of  God's  purpose  soon  to  convert  the  world. 
While  enjoying,  themselves,  scarcely  more  than  the  bare 
necessity  of  subsistence,  they  have  begun  their  Christian 
existence  in  a  noble  recognition  of  the  first  principles  of 
the  gospel.  From  such  a  generation  of  Christians,  the 
church  and  the  world  may  expect  much. 

Laudable  efforts,  too,  drawing  heavily  on  the  slender 
resources  of  native  converts,  are  at  the  same  time  making, 
especially  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  to  build  church  edifices 
for  themselves,  and  in  part,  or  in  whole,  to  support  their 
pastors.  In  the  records  of  those  missions  we  are  fre- 
quently meeting  items  like  the  following :  "  Erecting  a 
stone  church,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  by  sixty, 
and  three  temporary  buildings  at  the  same  time  at  out- 
stations."  "  The  walls  of  another  church  rising  at  one 
point,  and  materials  collecting  at  another."  In  the  year 
1840,  there  were  built,  or  in  progress  of  building,  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  eight  large  churches,  one  of  which  was 
one  hundred  and  forty-four  feet  by  seventy-eight.  For  the 
building  of  one,  the  King  gave  three  thousand  dollars,  the 
chiefs  and  people  having  already  given  two  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars. 

And  while  these  noble  efl?brts  are  making  to  provide 
suitable  and  durable  edifices  for  the  worship  of  God,  ef- 
forts equally  laudable  are  making  to  provide  needed  ac- 
commodations for  schools.  At  four  stations,  at  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  eighty  school-houses  were  built  in  a  single 
year — forty-two  in  connection  with  one  station — "  large, 
pleasantly  situated,  with  verandas  and  play-grounds 
around  them."  And  not  a  few  of  these  same  churches 
are  contributing  from  one  hundred,  to  four  hundred  and 
five  hundred  dollars  a  year  for  the  support  of  their  pas- 
tors.    The  church  in  Honolulu,  in  1845,  raised  five  hun- 


OUTPOURING  OF  THE  SPIRIT.  245 

dred  and  seventy  dollars  for  the  support  of  their  pastor. 
The  church  of  Wailuku  paid  for  the  same  purpose,  in 
1844,  seven  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars,  besides  sup- 
porting a  native  preacher  at  an  out-station,  and  contribu- 
ting fifty-four  dollars  at  the  monthly  concert  for  prayer, 
and  building  a  church  at  an  out-station.  The  churcli  at 
Lahaina  contributed,  in  the  same  year,  as  follows  :  Three 
hundred  and  twenty-one  dollars  for  the  support  of  their 
pastor ;  two  thousand  and  four  hundred  dollars  for  re- 
building a  church  ;  one  hundred  and  eighty  dollars  for 
the  support  of  school  teachers.  The  church  of  Molokai, 
besides  the  entire  support  of  their  pastor,  contributed,  in 
the  same  year,  six  hundred  and  seventy-eight  dollars  to 
different  objects  of  benevolence. 

The  following  paragraph  recently  appeared  in  one  of 
our  religious  papers.  It  will  further  illustrate  the  point 
in  hand.  *'  We  have  learned  with  surprise,  and  yet  de- 
light, that  a  Foreign  Missionary  Society  in  the  Sandwich 
Islands  has  sent  to  the  American  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety a  donation  for  planting  the  gospel  in  our  own  west ! 
Think  of  it !  The  converted  heathen  of  yesterday  rally- 
ing to  bless  our  own  land.  Awake !  ye  sleepy  and  care- 
less ones  in  our  churches,  who  have  never  felt  or  done 
any  thing  in  the  cause  of  domestic  missions.  Make 
haste!  or  these  converts  from  heathenism  will  be  the 
means  of  saving  your  own  kindred. 

"  Nor  have  the  liberality  and  public  spirit  of  the  Ha- 
waiian people  been  manifested  merely  in  supporting  their 
pastors  and  erecting  houses  of  worship.  It  is  estimated 
that,  during  the  seven  years  ending  December,  1844,  they 
had  contributed  nineteen  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
eighty-seven  dollars  ;  and  during  the  last  year,  they  had 
raised  not  less  than  three  thousand  one  hundred  and  five 
dollars."* 

Other  encouraging  features,  indicating  the  hand  of 
God  as  stretched  out  to  bless  our  missionary  enterprises, 
appear  in  the  extraordinary  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  on 
mission  churches,  and  signal  answers  to  prayer.  The  re- 
cent extraordinary  outpourings  of  the  Spirit  and  revivals  of 


*  Report  of  American  Board  for  1845. 

21* 


246  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

religion  on  the  Island  of  Ceylon,  at  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
and  among  the  Choctaws,  Armenians  and  Nestorians,  are 
indications  full  of  hope.  Perhaps  in  the  whole  history  of 
religious  revivals,  the  power  of  the  Spirit  has  not  been 
more  signally  manifested,  revealing  the  mighty  hand  of 
God.  Should  similar  displays  of  Divine  power  be  expe- 
rienced by  every  Christian  mission  now  in  operation,  (a 
thing  not  more  improbable,)  we  might  hail  such  an  event 
as  the  long  expected  conversion  of  the  world. 

Akin  to  this,  are  the  signal  ansivers  to  'prayer,  which 
Heaven  has,  within  a  few  years  past,  vouchsafed.  I  will 
illustrate  only  by  answers  to  prayer  on  a  single  occasion  : 
The  friends  of  missions  have  been  wont,  for  some  years 
past,  to  observe  the  first  Monday  of  January  as  a  day  of 
prayer  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  on  the  world,  and 
especially  for  the  success  of  foreign  missions.  Results 
like  the  following  have  come  to  my  knowledge.  Others, 
more  observing  of  God's  movements  among  the  heathen, 
may  add  to  the  list.  A  few  instances  will  be  given  where 
prayer  seems  to  have  been  answered,  on  a  remote  part  of 
the  globe,  on  the  very  day,  and  perhaps  the  same  hour,  it 
was  offered  : 

On  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1833,  there  was  an 
extraordinay  and  unaccountable  religious  movement  on 
the  minds  of  a  class  of  natives  who  had  been  for  a  few 
months  under  Christian  instruction  at  Ahmednuggur. 
The  writer,  then  the  only  missionary  at  the  station,  in- 
vited all  who  wished  to  be  Christians,  to  meet  him  for  re- 
ligious conversation  and  inquiry  ;  when,  to  his  surprise, 
thirteen  responded  to  the  call ;  all,  apparently,  deeply  con- 
victed of  sin,  and  wishing  to  be  pointed  to  the  Saviour. 
The  number  was  in  a  few  days  increased  to  sixteen, 
most  of  whom  subsequently  became  members  of  the 
church.  And  this  self  same  day  was  distinguished  in 
other  places  by  the  power  of  the  same  blessed  Spirit.  In 
Richmond,  Va.,  the  pastors  and  churches  were  assembled 
for  prayer.  The  lamented  Armstrong,  late  Secretary  of 
the  American  Board,  was  there.  He  had  been  a  trusty 
friend  of  missions  before ;  "  but  the  time  when  his  whole 
soul  seemed  to  be  peculiarly  moved  for  the  heathen,  and 
he  was,  as  it  were,  newly  baptized  with  the  missionary 


EFFECT  OF  PRAYER  MEETINGS.  247 

spirit,  was  at  the  meeting  for  prayer  for  the  conversion 
of  the  world,  held  on  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1833. 
Standing  among  the  ministers,  and  before  the  assembled 
churches  of  Richmond,  with  a  countenance  glowing  with 
love,  he  said,  "  My  brethren,  I  am  ashamed  that  there  are 
so  many  of  us  here  in  this  Christian  land.  We  must  go 
to  the  heathen."  "  That  day  of  prayer,"  says  one  who 
was  present,  "  made  an  impression  on  many  hearts,  which 
was  deep  and  lasting."  This  was  doubtless  the  way  in 
which  God  was  preparing  him  to  perform  the  labors  to 
which  he  was  soon  to  be  called,  in  connection  with  the 
foreign  missionary  work. 

At  a  subsequent  period,  Rev.  Mr.  Spaulding,  of  Ceylon, 
says,  "  I  was  called  up  at  midnight,  on  the  first  Monday 
in  January,  by  one  of  the  girls  of  the  Oodooville  school, 
and  informed  that  the  whole  school  was  assembled  in  the 
large  lecture  room  for  prayer.  On  going  thither,  and 
seeing  all  present  to  hear  what  the  Lord  would  com- 
mand them,  I  found  them  in  a  most  interesting  state  of 
mind ;  and  this  was  the  beginning  of  the  great  revival  of 
religion  in  Ceylon.  Inquiring  how  this  thing  originated, 
Mr.  S.  found  the  larger  girls,  (the  younger  ones  having 
retired,)  had  assembled  for  their  evening  prayer  meeting, 
and  not  being  willing  to  separate  at  the  usual  hour,  the 
interest  became  so  intense  that  one  after  another  called 
up  a  friend  to  share  in  the  good  feeling,  till,  at  length,  the 
whole  school  were  assembled. 

The  first  Monday  of  January,  1838,  presented  a  scene 
of  thrilling  interest  at  the  Sandwich  Islands.  "At  the 
rising  of  the  sun,  the  church  and  congregation  at  Hono- 
lulu, filling  one  of  the  largest  houses  of  worship  on  the 
islands,  united  in  solemn  prayer  for  the  outpouring  of  the 
spirit  of  God."  And  thence  followed  a  series  of  pro- 
tracted meetings  throughout  the  islands,  and  a  general  re- 
vival of  religion  blessed  the  nation.  This  was  the  be- 
ginning of  what  is  known  as  the  "great  revival."  By 
midsummer,  more  than  five  thousand  had  been  received 
into  the  church,  and  two  tliousand  four  hundred  stood 
propounded  for  membership.  Though  there  had  been 
some  favorable  indications  of  a  spiritual  movement  some 
time  previous,  and  the  preceding  Sabbath  had  been  a  day 


248  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

of  unusual  interest  at  Honolulu,  yet  we  may  date  the  be 
ginning  of  the  great  revival  on  that  day.  Now  the  win- 
dows of  heaven  were  opened,  and  the  refreshing  rain 
came ;  and,  as  the  fruits  of  the  remarkable  work,  there 
were  gathered  into  the  churches,  (1838 — 40,)  twenty 
thousand  persons ;  and  more  than  three  thousand  re- 
mained as  candidates  for  admission. 

On  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1846,  two  of  the  oldei 
girls  in  Miss  Fisk's  school  at  Ooroomiah,  linger  after  morn- 
ing prayers.  She  inquires  the  reason ;  finds  they  feel  them- 
selves to  be  lost  sinners,  and  ask  that  they  may  spend  the 
day  in  retirement.  In  a  few  days  they  are  rejoicing  in 
the  hope  of  sins  forgiven.  Five  others  come  to  Miss  F. 
the  same  day,  and  ask  what  they  shall  do  to  be  saved  ? 
and,  with  no  knowledge  of  what  had  taken  place  in  Misa 
Fisk's  school,  a  considerable  number  of  Mr.'  Stoddard'& 
scholars  came  to  him  with  the  same  inquiry.  From  this 
hour  we  date  the  commencement  of  the  present  powerful, 
extensive  revival  of  religion,  which  has  already  pervaded, 
not  only  the  two  seminaries,  but  the  city  of  Ooroomiah 
and  the  adjacent  villages,  and  has  spread  even  among  the 
mountains,  and  already  numbers  more  _than  one  hundred 
and  fifty  converts ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  deep  and  far- 
reaching  moral  influence  which  this  religious  movement 
has  produced  on  the  Nestorian  mind  in  general,  and  the 
conviction  of  the  power  of  evangelical  truth.  Nor  was 
this  all :  just  two  years  before,  (Monday,  January,  1844,) 
there  were  decisive  indications  of  the  mighty  workings  of 
the  spirit  at  the  same  station,  producing  a  happy  effect 
on  the  hearts  of  the  native  Christians  and  missionaries, 
but  resulting  in  the  conversion  of  only  one  individual,  and 
he  a  young  man  the  most  unlikely  to  be  thus  effected. 
But  he  afterwards  became  a  most  efficient  helper  in  the 
mission,  and,  perhaps,  did  more  than  any  other  one,  to 
prepare  the  way  for  the  great  work  now  in  progress. 
God  first  prepares  his  instruments,  then  does  his  wo'i'k. 

On  the  same  day,  (1846,)  the  spirit  was  poured  out 
from  on  high,  upon  the  Choctaws.  "  A  pleasant  state  ot 
things  existed  a  few  days  previous,  but  on  Monday,  (Jan- 
uary 5th,)  the  spirit  came  down  in  power,  and  a  mighty 
work  began,"  and  did  not  end  till  more  than  two  hundred 


THE    TIMING    OF    THINGS.  249 

were  gathered  into  the  church,  which  did  not  number  be- 
fore above  seven  hundred.  "  Before  they  call  I  will  an- 
swer, and  while  they  are  yet  speaking,  I  will  hear." 

But  I  must  avoid  so  much  detail.  I  shall  group,  in  the 
briefest  possible  space,  a  variety  of  providential  interpo- 
sitions, which  should  by  no  means  be  passed  in  silence. 
We  shall  discover  in  them  many  interesting  coincidences 
and  junctures,  which  cannot  but  convey  to  the  mind  of 
the  Christian  a  pleasing  conviction  that  God  is  in  the 
work,  and,  therefore,  it  cannot  fail.  They  are  such  as 
these : 

The  timing  of  things  so  as  to  make  one  answer  to  an- 
other ;  as  the  discovery  of  the  South  Sea  Islands  just  be- 
fore that  wonderful  period,  when,  amidst  the  "  throes  of 
kingdoms  and  the  convulsions  of  the  civilized  world,"  a 
missionary  spirit  was  wonderfully  diffused  among  British 
Christians.  The  idol  gods  at  the  Sandwich  Islands  are 
cast  away  while  missionaries  are  yet  on  their  way  thither. 
A  wise  Providence  had  raised  up  and  fitted  such  charac- 
ters as  Kaahumanu,  Kalanimaki,  and  Kaumualii ;  char- 
acters so  peculiarly  suited  to  the  crisis  as  obviously  to 
indicate  that  they  were  the  agents  of  Heaven,  raised  up 
for  this  very  purpose.  These  islands  became  consoli- 
dated under  one  government,  and  the  conflicting  inter- 
ests of  different  chiefs  annihilated  just  in  time  to  prepare 
the  whole  group  for  a  national  reform.  The  young  and 
dissolute  king,  from  whom  the  mission  had  much  to  fear 
and  nothing  to  hope,  is  cut  off"  by  death  in  a  foreign  land, 
and  his  remains  are  sent  back  in  charge  of  the  noble  By- 
ron, whose  influence  is  nobly  employed  on  behalf  of  the 
mission.  The  most  despicable  and  decidedly  hostile 
chief,  Boki,  (Governor  of  Oahu,)  is  sacrificed  to  a  mad 
project  of  his  own  devising.  From  small  beginnings,  and 
in  a  manner  peculiarly  providential,  an  extraordinary  in- 
strument for  reform  is  prepared  in  the  person  of  Kaahu- 
manu, and  raised  to  the  highest  pinnacle  of  power.  The 
rebellion  in  Kanai  results  in  the  final  prostration  of  the 
Anti-christian  party.  And  the  timely  visit  of  Van  Cou- 
ver,  of  the  Blonde,  the  Peacock,  the  Vincennes,  and  the 
noble  bearing  of  their  chief  officers  towards  the  incipient 
mission,  and  the  salutary  influence  exerted  by  them  on 


250  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

the  minds  of  the  chiefs  and  people,  are  providential  inter- 
positions worthy  of  record. 

Nor  was  this  all.  The  mission  schools  were  taken 
under  the  patronage  of  the  government,  just  at  the  time 
when  it  had  become  impossible  to  sustain  them  by  the 
mission. 

And  who  has  not  traced,  with  grateful  admiration,  the 
origin  and  growth  of  the  missionary  spirit ;  how  it  has 
expanded  and  warmed  the  heart  of  the  church  in  propor- 
tion as  the  field  opened  to  receive  the  gospel ;  the  in- 
creasing philanthropy  of  Christendom,  a  sensibility  to 
every  thing  that  eftects  the  well-being  of  man,  and  the 
general  expectation  of  the  world's  speedy  conversion  ? 
Whence  this,  but  a  divine  premonition,  a  dark  foreboding 
of  idolatry's  doom?  Says  an  intelligent,  missionary, 
"  the  feeling  is  becoming  general  that  some  extraordinary 
change  is  near  at  hand,  which  is  to  be  effected  by  the 
diffusion  of  Christianity."  A  singular  presentiment  pre- 
vails among  the  Mohammedans ;  and  a  strange,  irrepres- 
sible restlessness  in  Italy  and  other  papal  countries,  pre- 
dicts some  mighty  change  in  great  Babylon.  Even  in 
the  Vatican,  "  Prelates  and  Cardinals,  and  the  late  dying 
Pope,  have  visions  of  threatening  tempests,  of  disaster 
and  trouble,  from  whence  there  is  no  escape." 

Again,  we  have  the  footsteps  of  Providence  in-  the 
machinery  prepared  ;  in  organized  action,  societies — the 
army  marshalled  and  ready  for  the  field  ;  in  the  improved 
character  of  nominal  Christians  residing  in  pagan  lands  ; 
in  the  late  divorce  of  the  connection  which  has  hitherto 
existed  between  the  English  Government  and  Hindoo 
idolatry  ;  in  the  suppression  of  the  Suttee  and  Infanti- 
cide ;  in  the  extreme  sensitiveness  of  Anti-christian  powers 
to  the  prevalence  of  pure  Christianity,  rousing  the  spirit 
of  persecution,  indicative  of  the  progress  of  Christianity  ; 
in  the  oppression  and  extortion  of  the  priesthood,  which 
is  driving  many  from  their  long-cherished  superstition  to 
take  refuge  under  the  mild  banners  of  the  gospel ;  in  the 
decrease  of  the  Papal  priesthood  ;*  in  the  increased  at- 


*  statistics  which  have  recently  been  presented,  on  the  decrease  of  the  clerical 
order,  show  a  diminution  of  the  Romish  clergy,  amounting  to  near  900,000  within  the 
last  fifty  years. 


GREAT    MORAL    CHANGE.  251 

tention  of  Pagan  nations  to  the  study  of  the  EngHsh  lan- 
guage ;  and  in  the  present  advanced  condition  of  know- 
ledge, civiHzation  and  freedom.  Advancement  in  the 
arts  and  sciences,  in  civiHzation  and  civil  liberty,  is  a  no 
doubtful  presage  that  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah  is  at 
hand.  It  is  the  hand  of  the  Lord  preparing  for  the 
universal  spread  of  the  gospel.  Religion  is  found  eventu- 
ally to  come  down  to  the  social  and  intellectual  condi- 
tion of  a  people.  Nothing  in  the  past  history  of  Chris- 
tianity warrants  us  to  expect  that  a  pure,  healthful 
Christianity  will  long  remain  among  a  people  ignorant 
and  unacquainted  with  the  arts  of  civilized  life. 

The  moral  change,  too,  which,  during  the  last  forty 
years,  has  taken  place  among  European  and  American  resi- 
dents in  heathen  countries,  is  an  indication  of,  and  a  pre- 
paration for,  coming  good.  In  India,  it  is  a  presage  of 
much  good.  Then,  scarcely  a  righteous  man  could  be 
found  there.  There  was  no  church,  no  Sabbath,  no 
chaplaincies,  no  mercantile  house  closed  on  the  Sabbath. 
"  English  residents  were  as  much  strangers  to  the  gospel 
as  the  Hindoos  or  the  Mohammedans."  But  now  how 
changed.  Not  a  mercantile  house  is  now  open  on  the  Sab- 
bath.* Instead  of  an  "  universal,  unblushing  disregard  of 
religion,"  there  are  scattered  over  India,  in  its  length  and 
breadth,  delightful  specimens  of  piety.  More  lovely, 
active,  and  benevolent  Christians  are  not  to  be  met,  than 
they  whose  light  shines  in  that  land  of  darkness.  How 
different  a  starting  point  has  the  gospel  now,  how  in- 
creased the  resources  of  piety  for  its  onward  progress  ! 

We  cannot  too  profoundly  admire  the  wonder-working 
hand  that  has  given,  as  before  noticed,  such  preponder- 
ance in  Pagan  countries,  to  the  present  two  great  mari- 
time nations ;  that  such  a  country  as  India,  which  has 
once  given  religion,  science,  and  civilization  to  all  the 
East,  should  now  be  thrown  into  Anglo-Saxon  hands  ; 
into  the  hands  of  a  nation  of  such  extent  and  power  and 
maritime  skill,  and  such  resources  and  intelligence  and 


*  A  late  number  of  the  Bombay  Times  states  that  the  Governor-general  has  directed 
that  henceforth  there  shall  be  no  labor  on  the  public  works  throughout  Hindoostan,  on 
the  Sabbath.  The  same  paper  adds,  "A  similar  measure  introduced  three  years  since 
by  Sir  George  Arthur  into  Bombay,  has  been  eminently  successful." 


^52  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

piety,  and  every  advantage  for  propagating  the  gospel. 
There  has,  perhaps,  never  been  an  arrangement  of  Prov- 
idence, in  all  the  revolutions  of  nations,  which,  v^hen 
rightly  viewed,  excites  a  profounder  wonder.  The  reli- 
gious and  intellectual  influence  of  India  has  always  been, 
and  is  likely  to  be,  great  over  the  whole  East.  Once 
converted  to  Christianity,  she  may  again  send  her  mis- 
sionaries, not  as  formerly,  to  propagate  error,  but  to  carry 
the  full  horn  of  salvation  to  the  remotest  extremities  of 
Asia. 

Time  would  fail  to  trace  out  the  many  ways  in  which 
the  wealth,  power,  and  learning  of  England  are  contribu- 
ting to  prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord  in  India.  The 
power  of  her  arms  and  the  skill  of  her  statesmen  have 
done  it  by  securing  protection  for  the  missionary  ;  while 
the  researches  of  her  scholars  have  been  accumulating  a 
power  in  the  hands  of  the  same  missionary  for  the  prose- 
cution of  his  work.  Colebrook  and  Sir  Wm.  Jones,  and 
the  many  philosophers,  linguists,  historians,  and  literati, 
who  have  gained  immortality  in  Indian  lore,  have  been 
unconsciously  forging  the  weapons  of  the  missionary 
warfare.  Every  acquisition  in  true  science,  every  ad- 
vanced step  in  literature,  history,  geography,  is  a  blow 
struck  at  the  heart  of  Hindooism,  so  interwoven  is  error 
into  the  very  warp  and  woof  of  Hindoo  learning. 

And  the  British  Christian  will  here  pardon  us  for  say- 
ing that  we  think  the  providence  worthy  of  much  admira- 
tion, that  so  strong  and  encouraging  a  missionary  spirit 
should  pervade  the  American  Church,  that  the  gospel 
should  be  so  extensively  sent  from  this  country,  the  land 
of  revivals,  of  general  intelligence,  and  freedom  ;  that 
religion  of  such  a  Ujpe  should  be  so  prominently  stamped 
on  pagan  nations. 

The  hand  of  God  is  abundantly  visible,  too,  in  the 
increased  demand  for  the  Sacred  ^Scriptures.  I  speak 
cow  more  especially  of  anti-christian  nations.  T\\q people 
in  almost  every  portion  of  the  world  show  an  unwonted 
desire  to  become  acquainted  with  the  Christian's  Bible, 
though  generally  opposed  by  the  priesthood.  Whence 
this  desire,  if  not  wrought  into  the  world's  mind  by  the 
Spirit  from  on  high  ?     The  Bible  and  the  Paganism  of 


CONDITION    OF    THE    PAGAN    WORLD.  253 

India,  or  of  Rome,  cannot  long  live  together.  We  may, 
therefore,  regard  this  desire  to  possess  and  read  the  pure 
word  of  God,  both  as  a  providential  preparation  and  a 
premonition  of  the  speedy  coming  of  the  Messiah's  king- 
dom. 

Finally,  the  present  condition  of  the  Pagan  world,  as 
providentially  prepared  to  receive  the  gospel,  is  full  of 
encouragement.  The  field  is  open,  explored  ;  a  know- 
ledge of  different  countries  has  been  gained,  of  manners, 
customs,  languages,  and  rehgions  ;  a  rich  fund  of  experi- 
ence has  been  acquired.  Providence  has  accumulated 
vast  resources  for  the  work,  and  provided  immense 
facilities.  The  missionary  work  is  almost  necessarily 
progressive.  Not  only  does  each  missionary  station  cre- 
ate resources  and  facilities  for  its  own  extension,  but  the 
success  of  one  station  prepares  the  way  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  another,  and  the  work  thus  becomes  self-pro- 
pagating in  an  accelerating  ratio.  Take  the  missions  of 
the  American  Board  for  an  example.  The  success  of 
these  missions,  if  estimated  only  by  the  number  of  con- 
versions, (by  no  means  a  fair  estimate  of  real  results,) 
"has  been  twelve  times  as  great  during  the  last  ten 
years,  as  it  was  in  the  whole  previous  twenty-six  years 
of  the  Board's  history."  Ten  years  ago  there  were 
2,000  members  of  the  Board's  mission  churches,  now 
there  are  more  than  24,000.  All  that  has  been  done  is  a 
cumulative  force  for  onward  progress. 

Our  success,  again,  urges  on  the  Pagan  mind  our  most 
convincing,  tangible  argument  for  the  divinity  of  our 
religion.  Christianity  now  has  its  monuments  in  every 
Pagan  country.  It  has  transformed  character,  morally, 
socially,  politically.  We  can  now  point  to  these  monu- 
ments, and  challenge  investigation  for  the  divine  original 
of  our  religion.  It  has  refined,  elevated,  purified  charac- 
ter. It  has  done  in  a  few  short  years  what  the  wisest 
and  most  refined  systems  of  idolatry  and  oriental  philoso- 
phy have  not  begun  to  do  in  as  many  centuries.  We 
can  point  to  living  illustrations  of  the  power  of  the 
gospel ;  how  it  has  gone  up  to  the  springs  of  moral 
corruption,  and  cast  in  the  salt  there.  We  can  point 
to  individuals,   to   families,    communities,    nations,   that 

22 


254  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

have  been  transformed,  civilized,  elevated,  and  radi- 
cally improved  by  the  simple  powder  of  the  gospel.  This 
is  the  lever  of  Providence,  by  w^hich  to  overthrow  the 
whole  Pagan  world,  and  on  its  mouldering  ruins  to  rear 
the  beautiful  superstructure  of  his  everlasting  truth.  The 
blind  votaries  of  idolatry  are  not  so  blind  as  not  to  see 
this,  and  not  so  disingenuous  as  not  sometimes  to  acknow- 
ledge it.  "  We  look,"  says  a  Sandwich  Islander,  "  at  the 
power  with  which  the  gospel  has  been  attended  in  effect- 
ing the  entire  overthrow  of  idolatry  among  us,  and  which 
we  believe  no  human  means  could  have  induced  us  to 
abandon."  In  like  manner,  a  Hindoo  Brahmin  is  made 
to  pay  the  same  unwilling  homage  to  the  truth,  when,  on 
hearing  the  gospel  preached,  he  said,  "  Nothing  can  stand 
before  the  atonement  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

Thus  are  we  furnished,  from  the  success  of  missions, 
not  only  with  the  means  of  still  greater  success,  but  with 
an  overwhelming  argument  on  the  heathen  mind,  in  favor 
of  the  truth  of  Christianity. 

With  a  few  exceptions,  found  in  Central  Africa,  or  in 
the  ill-defined  regions  of  Tartary  and  Kamschatka,  the 
God  that  worketh  wonders,  has,  in  the  mysterious  work- 
ings of  his  providence,  opened  the  entire  world  to  the 
gospel.  The  Macedonian  cry  comes  to  us  from  every 
nation,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  kindred  on  the  face 
of  the  earth.  In  past  ages  of  the  church,  the  prayers  of 
God's  people  went  up,  that  the  Great  Master  would  grant 
access  to  the  unevangelized  nations,  and  raise  up  and 
qualify  men  for  the  work.  Those  prayers  have  been 
heard.  The  world  lies  in  a  ready,  in  a  beseeching  pos- 
ture, at  the  feet  of  the  children  of  the  Highest. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


Mohammedan  countries  and  Mohammedanism.  The  design,  origin,  character, 
success,  extent  of  Islamism.  Mohammed  a  Reformer — not  an  Impostor.  Whence 
the  power  and  permanency  of  Mohammedanism  I  Promise  to  Ishmael— hope  for 
him.  The  power  of  Islam  on  the  wane.  Turks  the  watch-dogs  of  Providence,  to 
hold  in  check  the  Beast  and  the  Dragon.  Turkish  reforms — Toleration— Innova- 
tions— A  pleasing  reflection. 

''  A?id  Abraham  said  unto   God,    O    that    Ishmael   might  live 
before  thee  /" — Gen.  xvii.  1 8. 

We  shall  now  turn  to  Mohammedan  countries,  and 
attempt  to  trace  the  hand  of  God  as  there  at  work,  to 
prepare  the  lands  which  have  so  long  languished  under 
the  pale  light  of  the  crescent,  to  receive  the  gospel  of  the 
Messiah.  Our  inquiry  now  relates  to  the  present  condi- 
tion of  Mohammedanism  and  Mohammedan  countries, 
as  providentially  prepared  to  receive  Christianity. 

It  will  not  be  irrelevant,  first,  to  take  a  brief  survey  of 
this  extraordinary  form  of  faith — its  design,  origin,  char- 
acter, success,  and  extent.  We  shall  all  along  keep  the 
eye  steadily  fixed  on  the  providential  agency  engaged  in 
this  stupendous  system.  The  whole  enormous  fabric  of 
Mohammedanism  is  one  vast  monument,  or  arrangement 
of  Providence,  in  conducting  the  affairs,  especially  the 
moral  affairs,  of  this  world. 

We  may  then,  first,  inquire  ivhy  Mohammedanism  was 
ever  permitted  to  be — what  was  the  providential  design 
to  be  accomplished  by  that  extraordinary  man,  who  rose 
in  Arabia  in  the  seventh  century  ?  We  do  not  see  great 
systems  of  religion,  and  mighty  empires  rise  and  flourish, 
and  for  centuries  exert  a  controlling  influence  over  large 
portions  of  the  world,  without  a  correspondingly  import- 
ant divine  purpose.  What  is  this  purpose  in  reference  to 
Mohammedanism  ?  We  may  not  pretend  fully  to  answer 
this  question,  yet  we  may  doubtless  point  out  some  of 
the  purposes,  which  lay  in  the  divine  mind,  when  he  per- 
mitted the  Man  of  Mecca  to  embark  in  the  arduous 
enterprise  of  giving  to  the  world  a  new  religion. 


256  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

Three  points  here  claim  our  attention :  The  design  of 
God  in  this  system  ;  the  design  of  Mohammed,  and  the 
design  of  Satan. 

The  design  of  God  seems  to  have  been,  first,  to  fulfill 
his  promise  to  a  great  branch  of  the  Abrahamic  family, 
the  posterity  of  Ishmael  ;  and  secondly,  to  check  effect- 
ually the  power  and  progress  of  idolatry,  and  to  scourge 
a  corrupt  Christianity ;  to  rebuke  and  humble  an  apos- 
tate church  by  making  her  enemy  a  fairer  example  of 
God's  truth  than  she  was  herself  The  design  of  Mo- 
hammed— bating  the  aspirations  of  ambition — seems  to 
have  been  to  destroy  idolatry,  and  to  give  the  world  a 
new  religion,  and  a  better  one,  than  he  had  met  else- 
where. And  the  design  of  the  devil  was  to  make  the 
new  system  a  great  delusion,  by  which  he  might  hope  to 
retain  in  bondage  that  large  portion  of  the  human  race, 
which  had  become  too  much  enlightened,  longer  to  be 
held  by  a  system  of  gross  idolatry. 

A  moment's  glance  at  the  origin,  progress,  and  charac- 
ter of  Islamism,  will  confirm  what  I  have  said.  In  the 
9th  chapter  of  the  Revelations,  a  corrupt  Christianity, 
personified  in  the  first  Pope,  perhaps,  is-  represented  as  a 
"  star  fallen  from  heaven  unto  the  earth,"  to  whom  was 
given  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit.  The  propagation  of 
false  doctrines,  especially  on  the  nature  of  the  Trinity, 
and  the  worship  of  images,  saints,  and  angels,  afforded  to 
the  prophet  a  plausible  pretext,  and  prepared  the  way  for 
Mohammed  and  his  religion.  He  opened  the  pit,  "  and 
there  arose  a  smoke  out  of  the  pit  as  the  smoke  of  a 
great  furnace,  and  the  sun  and  the  air  were  darkened  by 
reason  of  the  smoke  of  the  pit :"  a  striking  description  of 
Mohammedanism  as  a  religious  power.  It  is  a  grand 
delusion,  which  blinds  the  eyes  of  men,  or  so  bedims  and 
perverts  their  vision  that  they  can  only  see  as  through  a 

?lass  darkly.  But  it  was  more  than  a  religious  power, 
t  was  a  great  civil  and  military  power.  "And  there 
came  out  of  the  smoke  locusts  on  the  earth,  and  unto 
them  was  given  power,  as  the  scorpions  of  the  earth  have 
power.  And  the  shapes  of  the  locusts  were  like  unto 
horses  prepared  unto  battle  ;  and  on  their  heads  were,  as  it 
were,  crowns  like  gold,  and  their  faces  were  as  the  faces 


MOHAMMEDAN    COUNTRIES.  257 

of  men.  And  they  had  hair  as  the  hair  of  women,  and 
their  teeth  were  as  the  teeth  of  Rons.  And  they  had 
breast-plates,  as  it  were  breast-plates  of  iron,  and  the 
sound  of  their  wings  was  as  the  sound  of  chariots  of 
many  horses  running  to  battle.  And  they  had  a  king 
over  them,  which  is  the  angel  of  the  bottomless  pit." 

No  one  can  more  accurately  describe  an  Arabian 
army.  Numerous  as  the  swarms  of  "  locusts"  from  the 
southern  shore  ;  vindictive  and  deadly  as  the  "  scorpion ;" 
consisting  chiefly  of  cavalry,  with  turbans  on  their  heads 
resembling  "  crowns  ;"  with  long  hair  as  the  "  hair  of 
women,"  thus  bearing  some  marks  of  gentleness  and 
timidity,  yet  they  have  teeth  "  like  the  teeth  of  lions." 
They  have  faces  as  the  "  faces  of  men,"  appear  like  men, 
yet  they  are  unchained  tigers.  They  ravage  and  destroy 
without  mercy.  They  are  a  well  organized  army,  have 
a  king  over  them,  as  one  commissioned  by  the  destroying 
angel ;  are  actuated  by  one  spirit ;  harmonize  in  their 
object,  to  scourge  a  corrupt  church,  and  to  destroy 
idolatry.  They  have  "  breast-plates  of  iron  ;"  are  pro- 
tected by  a  strong  civil  power.  They  produce  a  great 
tumult  in  the  world ;  fly  from  one  country  to  another, 
like  an  army  with  chariots  and  many  horsemen. 

They  had  power  to  hurt  Jive  months — one  hundred  and 
fifty  years.  Mohammed  began  publicly  to  announce  his 
divine  commission  in  the  year  612 — and  the  violence  of 
his  aggressions  was  stayed  on  the  building  of  Bagdad, 
and  the  transfer  of  the  Caliphate  thither,  a.  d.  762.  The 
smoke,  however,  the  religious  delusion,  continued.  The 
fierce  military  character — the  flying,  furious,  stinging, 
scorpion-like  locusts,  abated  in  their  ravages  ;  yet  the 
civil  and  religious  dominion  over  the  fairest  portions  of 
the  world  continued,  and  is  to  continue,  till  it  shall  have 
accomplished  its  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years. 

At  the  close  of  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  the 
banners  of  the  crescent  waved  victorious  over  the  whole 
Roman  empire.  Arabia  had  yielded  to  the  Prophet  before 
his  death.  Syria,  Persia  and  Egypt  were  soon  made  the 
vassals  of  his  proud  successors.  Within  twelve  years 
after  the  Hegira,  thirty-six  thousand  cities,  towns  and 
castles,  are  said  to  have  been  subjugated  to  the  new  con- 
22* 


258  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

querors ;  four  thousand  Christian  temples  destroyed,  and 
one  thousand  four  hundred  mosques  dedicated  to  the 
Prophet.  Africa  was  soon  subdued— the  Moors  converted 
to  the  new  rehgion  ;  who,  in  their  turn,  descend  into 
Spain,  and  there  establish  a  magnificent  empire.  "  The 
victorious  standard  of  the  crescent  was  raised  on  the 
cold  mountains  of  Tartary,  and  on  the  burning  sands  of 
Ethiopia."  The  Moslem  empire  extended  from  the  At- 
lantic to  Japan — across  the  entire  continents  of  Africa 
and  Asia — into  Spain,  and  France  as  far  North  as  the 
Loire,  and  over  the  Indian  islands,  embracing  Sumatra, 
Java,  Borneo,  Celebes,  and  the  Manillas.  The  island  of 
Goram,  one  of  the  spice  islands,  may  be  taken  as  the 
eastern  boundary  of  Islamism. 

The  Moslems  appeared  even  under  the  walls  of  Vienna, 
whence  they  were  turned  back,  and  Europe  saved  from 
the  scourge  of  the  East,  by  the  noble  Poles,  as  they  had 
been  driven  out  of  France  by  the  intrepid  Charles  Martel. 
At  the  close  of  its  first  century,  the  Saracenic  empire 
embraced  the  fairest  and  the  largest  portion  of  the  civ- 
ilized world. 

But  let  us  return  to  the  design :  First,  I  said  God  de- 
signed now  to  fulfill  his  promise  to  the  posterity  of  Isli- 
rnael.  Ishmael  was  a  child  of  Abraham,  and  though  the 
blessing  should  descend  through  Isaac,  the  child  of  pro- 
mise, yet  a  blessing  was  reserved  for  Ishmael.  As  God 
was  pronouncing  the  blessing  on  the  seed  of  promise, 
Abraham,  with  a  father's  tenderness,  "said  unto  God,  O 
that  Ishmael  might  live  before  thee."  Is  there  no  blessing 
for  Ishmael  ?  "  And  God  said — as  for  Ishmael  I  have 
heard  thee :  Behold,  I  have  blessed  him,  and  will  make 
him  fruitful,  and  will  multiply  him  exceedingly  :  twelve 
princes  shall  he  beget,  and  I  will  make  him  a  great  na- 
tion." We  are,  I  think,  to  look  for  a  parallel — though 
often  by  way  of  contrast — in  the  histories  of  the  posteriU^ 
of  Isaac  and  Ishmael.  Both  should  inherit  a  blessing— 
both  have  a  numerous  natural  seed — twelve  patriarchs 
should  proceed  from  each — they  should  live  side  by  side, 
though  in  perpetual  rivalry.  They  were  both  sons,  the 
one  the  legitimate  heir,  the  other  a  spurious  offspring. 
The  one  should  have  the  true  Revelation,  the  true  Reli- 


DESIGN    OF    MOHAMMEDANISM.  259 

gion,  and  the  true  Messiah ;  the  other  a  spurious  Revela- 
tion, a  spurious  ReHgion  and  a  spurious  Messiah.  The 
blessing  on  Ishmael  was  principally  of  a  temporal  nature. 
His  posterity  should  be  exceedingly  numerous.  And,  as 
a  matter  of  history,  it  was  more  numerous  than  that  of 
Isaac.  And  it  should  live  in  perpetual  hostility  with  the 
other  great  branch  of  the  Abrahamic  family.  But  are 
we  not  to  look  for  a  spiritual  blessing  on  Ishmael,  that 
shall  correspond  with  his  constituted  relationship  to  Isaac  ? 
Was  not  the  religion  of  the  Arabs  or  Ishmaelites  before 
Mohammed,  a  reflection,  a  base  imitation  of  Judaism — 
the  bastard  religion  of  the  promise  ?  yet  containing  many 
valuable  truths  of  patriarchal  theism.  When  Israel's 
Messiah  appeared,  they  might  have  looked  that  Ishmael's 
Messiah  should  soon  follow.  Islamism  is  then  the  Chris- 
tianity of  Ishmael,  and  the  Popery  of  Judaism.  It  is  a 
faithful  image  and  reflection,  as  some  one  says,  of  the 
defects  of  Judaism.  In  Judaism,  Isaac  new-modelled  and 
improved  the  faith  and  morals  of  men  through  his  literal 
descendants,  the  Jews  ;  Ishmael  did  the  same  through  his 
literal  descendants,  the  Arabs.  Mohammedanism,  like 
Christianity,  on  the  other  line,  was  an  advance,  "  a  con- 
siderable reformation,"  on  the  then  existing  system  of 
religion  among  the  spurious  seed.  One  is  the  light  of  the 
sun,  the  other  the  light  of  the  moon  as  reflected  from  the 
sun. 

Again,  in  permitting  this  system,  God  designed  efl?ectu- 
ally  to  check  the  power  and  progress  of  Idolatry,  and  to 
scourge  a  corrupt  Christianity.  The  spirit  of  Mohammed 
was  singularly  transfused  through  all  the  ranks  of  his  fol- 
lowers :  it  was  an  implacable  hatred  of  Idolatry.  Where- 
ever  the  Moslem  was  found,  he  was  the  hammer  of  God 
to  break  in  pieces  the  idols  of  the  heathen.  Nor  was  he 
a  less  signal  scourge  to  a  corrupt  Christianity,  or  a  formal 
Judaism.  Islamism  has  been,  in  its  turn,  both  the  censor 
and  the  corrector,  the  scourge  and  the  reformer  of  eastern 
Christianity.  The  illegitimate  oflfspring  has  stolen  from 
the  armory  of  the  true  seed  many  valuable  weapons  of 
truth,  which  he  has  turned  with  signal  vengeance  against 
his  brother.  Mohammed  was  a  Reformer.  He  intro- 
duced into  Western  Asia  a   better  religion  than  at  the 


260  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

time  existed  there.  There  was  more  truth — more  of 
divine  revelation— less  of  Idolatry  in  his  religion,  than  in 
any  of  the  existing  forms  of  faith  there  prevalent,  not 
excepting  the  Christianity  of  his  time.  God  rebuked  and 
humbled  an  apostate  church,  "  a  fallen  star,"  by  giving 
an  enemy  rule  over  her.  And  another  thing  he  did  :  by 
the  iron  arm  of  Mohammed  he  has  restrained  the  bloody 
hand  of  persecution.  The  blood-hounds  of  Islam  have 
been  set  to  watch  the  lions  of  Anti-christ.  And  well 
have  they  watched  them.  And  they  are  not  yet  forgetful 
of  their  commission,  as  late  acts  of  the  Turkish  govern- 
ment in  behalf  of  the  persecuted  Armenians  doth  show. 

The  character  of  Mohammedanism  has,  perhaps,  been 
as  imperfectly  understood  as  its  design.  I  do  not  think 
Mohammed  an  impostor.  He  was  probably  an  honest 
man — though  ambitious  and  enthusiastic.  His  religion, 
(not  the  abuses  and  corruptions  of  it  by  others,)  was  to 
him  a  truth,  and  an  improvement  on  any  system  he  was 
acquainted  with.  The  Christianity  of  his  time  was  a 
vile  alloy  ;  Judaism  no  better,  and  Paganism  worse.  He 
set  himself  to  devise  and  establish  a  better.  He  seized 
on  the  great  truths  of  religion  by  that  "inspiration  w^iich 
giveth  man  understanding" — appropriating  what  he  knew 
of  truth  in  Judaism  or  Christianity,  his  great  aim  being 
to  counteract  and  destroy  the  Idolatry  of  his  own  coun- 
trymen. On  this  it  was  a  notable  advance.  It  was  an 
acknowledgment  of  one  God,  of  self-denying  duty,  and 
of  future  rewards  and  punishments.  To  him  the  whole 
world  seemed  given  up  to  Idolatry.  The  absurd  and 
false  notions  on  the  subject  of  the  Trinity,  had  laid  the 
Christians  under  the  charge  of  worshiping  a  plurality 
of  Gods,  to  say  nothing  of  the  prevalent  worship  of 
images,  saints  and  angels.  His  spirit  was  stirred  within 
him.  Hence  he  became  the  bold  champion  of  the  great 
truth,  God  is  one. 

Mohammed  commenced  his  career  under  a  favorable 
combination  of  circumstances.  The  world  was  provi- 
dentially brought  into  a  condition  especially  favorable  to 
his  success.  Mohammed  looked  on  the  world,  with  the 
eye  of  intuitive  philosophy.  "  He  compares  the  nations 
and  religions  of  the  earth,"  says  Gibbon,  "  discovers  the 


PERMANENCY    OF    ISLAMISM.  261 

weakness  of  the  Persian  and  Roman  monarchies,  beholds, 
with  pity  and  indignation,  the  degeneracy  of  the  times, 
and  resolves  to  unite,  under  one  God  and  one  King,  the 
invincible  spirit  and  the  primitive  virtues  of  the  Arabs." 
The  political  condition  of  the  world  was  favorable.  The 
leaven  of  liberty,  generated  in  the  religion  of  calvary, 
had  prepared  the  world  for  a  great  revolution.  And  the 
moral  and  religious  aspect  of  the  world  was  still  more 
favorable.  The  idolatries  of  Western  Asia  were  in  a 
tottering  state.  The  advent  of  the  Messiah  had  cast 
light  over  the  whole  world.  Many  dark  places  had  been 
enlightened,  and  the  darkness  of  other  places  had  been 
made  visible.  Christianity  had  reached  Arabia,  and  had 
loosed  the  bonds  of  Idolatry,  and  "  produced  a  fermenta- 
tion there."  Both  Christianity  and  Judaism  were  in  a 
condition  which  afforded  a  plausible  pretext  and  encour- 
agement to  the  career  of  the  Prophet.  And  no  doubt,  in 
the  then  extreme  mihtary  inactivity  of  Asia,  he  was  not 
a  little  indebted  for  his  success  to  the  power  of  arms. 
But  are  any,  or  all  of  these  causes  sufficient  to  account 
for  such  success  ? — especially  for  the  permanency  of  it  ? 
Was  there  not  rather  a  considerable  mixture  of  truth  in 
the  confused  medley  of  the  religion  of  Mecca,  to  which 
we  are  rather  to  refer  certain  well  known  results.  It  was 
military  prowess,  for  example,  that  conquered  the  bar- 
barous, ignorant,  besotted  Tartars — an  exceedingly  rude 
people,  roaming  herds  of  shepherds  and  warriors,  who 
neither  lived  in  houses  nor  cultivated  the  ground.  Yet 
their  subjugation  to  Bagdad,  wrought  in  them  an  extraor- 
dinary transformation.  They  soon  formed  for  themselves 
a  regular  government,  cultivated  their  large  and  fertile 
plains,  cherished  the  arts  of  peace,  and  congregated  in 
large  cities.  A  new  and  independent  kingdom  here  arose, 
which  soon  proved  a  powerful  rival  to  Bagdad  itself 
What  wrought  this  extraordinary  transformation  ?  Must 
we  not  look  for  something  beyond  mere  military  force 
and  a  happy  juncture,  to  account  for  the  power  which 
this  religion  held  over  mind,  and  the  civil,  social  and 
moral  changes  which  it  wrought  ? 

By  the  mere  force  of  arms  the  barbarous  Moors  in- 
vaded Spain,  and  made  themselves  possessors  of  that  rich 


262  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

and  beautiful  portion  of  Europe.  But  what  enlightened 
and  civilized  them — what  reared  for  them  a  regular  gov- 
ernment, and  a  magnificent  empire — made  them  rule  in 
the  world  of  letters,  and  become  the  teachers  of  Europe  ? 
What  made  them  to  excel  all  the  nations  of  their  time, 
in  the  arts,  in  science,  and  in  agriculture  ?  "  While  the 
greatest  portion  of  the  western  world  was  buried  in  the 
darkest  ignorance,  the  Moors  in  Spain  lived  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  all  those  arts  which  beautify  and  polish  society." 
"  Agriculture,  too,  was  better  understood  by  the  Arabs  of 
Spain  than  by  any  other  people."  When  an  ambitious 
priesthood  were  urging  their  expulsion,  the  Spanish  barons 
plead,  "with  great  power  of  argument  and  eloquence, 
that  this  detested  people  were  the  most  valuable  part  of 
the  Spanish  population."  They  were  characterized  by 
"  frugality,  temperance  and  industry."  The  manufactures 
of  the  country  were  very  much  in  their  hands — the  arts, 
sciences  and  navigation.* 

Or  we  may  ask  what  gave  rise  to  the  college  at  Bagdad, 
with  its  six  thousand  pupils  and  professors — or  made 
Grand  Cairo  a  chief  seat  of  letters,  with  its  twenty  col- 
leges, and  its  royal  library  of  one  hundi-ed  thousand  man- 
uscripts— or  what  placed  a  library  of  two  hundred  and 
eighty  thousand  volumes  in  Cordova,  and  more  than 
seventy  libraries  in  the  kingdom  of  Andalusia — and 
adorned  the  towns  on  the  north  coast  of  Africa  with  lit- 
erary institutions  ;  and  made  the  sun  of  science  rise  in 
Africa,  and  soften  the  manners  of  the  savage  Moors  by 
philosophy  and  song  ?  The  Moors  formed  the  connecting 
link  between  ancient  and  modern  literature — introduced 
literature  and  science  into  Europe,  and  were  the  deposi- 
tories of  knowledge  for  the  West.  The  mathematics, 
astronomy,  anatomy,  surgery,  chemistry,  and  botany,  were 
pursued  by  the  Moors  far  'in  advance  of  their  age.  Or 
whence  came  it  to  pass  that  Cordova  became  the  "  centre 
of  politeness,  taste  and  genius  ?"     A  religion  which  pro- 


The  introduction  of  cotton,  and  sugar  cane— articles  of  oriental  growth— info  Europe 
by  the  Saracens,  first  gave  that  impulse  to  European  art  and  luxury,  and  to  the  spirit, 
consequently,  of  commercial  enterprise,  which  issued  eventually  in  the  opening  of  a 
maritime  communication  to  India  and  the  remote  East,  and  in  the  discovery  and  set- 
tlement of  Uie  New  World. 


.f^ 


DOCTRINE    OF    THE    DIVINE    UNITY.  263 

duces  such  fruits  must  have  something  in  it  besides  error, 
superstition,  enthusiasm,  and  military  prowess. 

Mungo  Park  found,  quite  in  the  interior  of  Africa,  a 
degree  of  elevation  and  improvement  which  quite  aston- 
ished him ;  it  was  so  unhke  what  he  had  seen  among 
other  African  tribes — "  a  people  of  very  different  descrip- 
tion from  other  black  Pagan  nations,"  who  had  adopted 
many  of  the  arts  of  civilized  life — subjected  themselves 
to  government  and  political  institutions — practiced  agri- 
culture, and  learned  the  necessary  and  even  some  of  the 
ornamental  arts — dwelt  in  towns,  some  of  which  con- 
tained ten  thousand  and  even  thirty  thousand  inhabitants, 
surrounded  by  well  cultivated  fields,  and  the  improve- 
ments and  comforts  of  civilized  life.  All  these  improve- 
ments had  been  introduced  into  Africa  by  the  Mohammed 
dans.  Previous  to  this  introduction,  the  same  tribes  were 
as  wild,  fierce  savages  as  the  natives  towards  the  South, 
where  the  missionaries  of  Islam  had  never  penetrated. 

A  glance  at  the  religion  which  Mohammed  set  himself 
to  propound,  will  discover  the  secret.  He  started  out 
with  the  great  leading  truth  of  the  Divine  Unity.  "  He 
proclaimed  himself  a  Prophet  sent  from  heaven  to  preach 
the  unity  of  the  Godhead,  and  to  restore  to  its  purity  the 
religion  of  Abraham  and  Ishmael."  And  a  principal 
means  by  which  he  was  to  accomplish  his  mission,  was 
the  destruction  of  Idolatry  and  superstition.  The  Oriental 
Christian  Church  at  once  fell  under  the  ban  of  his  male- 
diction, because  found  shamefully  allied  to  the  great  sys- 
tem of  Idolatry. 

If  we  descend  to  practical  results,  we  shall  meet — not 
the  religion  of  the  New  Testament — but  a  religion  con- 
siderably in  advance  of  any  thing  which  came  within  the 
Prophet's  acquaintance.  He  essentially  mitigated  the 
horrors  of  war.  "In  avenging  my  injuries,''  said  he, 
"  molest  not  the  harmless  votaries  of  domestic  seclusion  ; 
spare  the  weakness  of  the  softer  sex,  the  infant  at  the 
breast,  and  those  who,  in  the  course  of  nature,  are  hasten- 
ing from  this  scene  of  mortality.  Abstain  from  demol- 
ishing the  dwellings  of  the  unresisting  inhabitants  ;  destroy 
not  their  means  of  subsistence ;  respect  their  fruit  trees ; 
and  touch  not  the  palm,  so  useful  to  the  Syrians  for  its 


264  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

shade,  and  delightful  for  its  verdure.  Take  care  to  do 
that  which  is  right  and  just,  for  those  who  do  otherwise, 
shall  not  prosper.  When  you  make  any  covenant  or  ar- 
ticle, stand  to  it,  and  be  as  good  as  your  word.  As  you 
go  on,  you  will  find  some  religious  persons  that  live  retired 
in  monasteries,  who  propose  to  themselves  to  serve  God 
that  way.  Let  them  alone,  and  neither  kill  them  nor  de- 
stroy their  monasteries."  This  was  quite  in  advance  of 
his  age  in  reference  to  war.  We  must  not  be  too  ready 
to  charge  on  Mohammed  the  abuses  of  his  system,  by 
many  of  his  followers,  or  to  forget  that,  as  with  other 
men,'  his  impetuous  nature  sometimes  hurried  him  into 
excesses  in  practice,  which  his  theory  condemned.  It  is 
not  to  be  denied,  that  fraud  and  perfidy,  injustice  and 
cruelty,  were  too  often  made  subservient  to  the  propaga- 
tion of  his  faith  ;  and  that  in  his  last  days  ambition  was 
his  ruling  passion. 

Again,  we  find  Mohammed  inculcating  charity,  for- 
bearance, patience,  resignation  to  the  Divine  will ;  prayer 
five  times  a  day  ;  a  regard  for  the  sabbath  as  appointed 
by  him  ;  future  rewards  and  punishment ;  mercy  to  cap- 
tives taken  in  war  ;  the  prohibition  of  wine ;  that  reli- 
gion is  not  in  the  rite  or  form,  but  in  the  power  of  an 
internal  principle  :  we  find  him  enacting  laws  against 
gaming  and  infanticide  ;  on  inheritance  and  the  rights  of 
property ;  correcting  many  grievous  abuses,  and  incul- 
cating many  valuable  moral  precepts. 

He  did  not  enjoin  universal  charity,  but  implacable 
hatred  of  all  infidels.  This  is  but  of  a  piece  with  the 
great  design  of  the  system. 

Thus  we  see  what  God  designed  by  this  religion,  and 
what  he  has  brought  out  of  it ;  what  Mohammed  de- 
signed by  it ;  and  what  the  devil  has  used  it  for,  viz.  as 
a  grand  delusion  by  which  to  blind  men's  minds,  and  to 
betray  a  countless  multitude  to  perdition.  Mohamme- 
danism, if  contemplated  simply  as  a  device  of  the  enemy, 
stands  before  the  world  in  the  character  of  one  of  his 
great  counterfeits.  "  It  has  always  been  the  policy  of 
Satan  to  forestall  the  purposes  of  God,  and  to  set  up  a 
counterfeit  of  that  which  the  Lord  hath  declared  he  will 
do.    We  may,  therefore,  regard  the  religion  of  the  Caaba 


A    MINISTER    OF    PROVIDENCE.  265 

before  Mohammed,  as  Satan's  counterfeit  of  Judaism  ;  and 
Mohammedanism,  or  the  religion  of  Mecca,  after  Mo- 
hammed, as  the  counterfeit  of  Christianity.  Satan  is  a 
shrewd  observer  of  providence  and  of  revelation,  and  he 
advances  in  his  systems  of  deception  w^ith  the  times,  with 
the  advance  of  man,  and  the  condition  of  the  world. 
Every  new  dispensation  of  grace  is,  on  his  part,  accom- 
panied by  a  new  dispensation  of  falsehood,  not  absolute 
falsehood,  but  perverted  truth  and  practical  falsehood. 
Satan  is  no  inventor  but  a  vile  imitator.  His  systems  of 
error  are  as  much  like  God's  systems  of  truth,  as  a  coun- 
terfeit coin  is  like  a  genuine  one.  The  shape,  the  size, 
the  lettering,  the  whole  external,  are  much  the  same  ;  yet 
one  is  a  base  alloy,  the  other  is  pure  gold.  Mohamme- 
danism is  not  a  simple  counterfeit  of  Christianity  alone. 
That  bad  pre-eminence  must  be  accorded  to  Popery.  It 
is  a  successful  counterfeit  both  of  Christianity  and  Juda- 
ism, with  accommodation  in  some  of  its  features  to  the 
mind  and  the  heart  of  the  Pagan.  While  it  incorporates 
in  itself  much  of  truth,  it  incorporates  more  of  worldly 
wisdom  and  satanic  craft. 

But  I  have  already  transcended  my  prescribed  limits 
in  a  review  of  the  past ;  we  will  now  turn  to  the  present. 

We  have  found  Mohammedanism  to  be,  on  a  large 
scale,  a  minister  of  Providence  to  carry  forward  the 
great  plans  of  human  redemption.  It  has  been  God's 
hammer,  to  break  in  pieces  the  idols  of  a  large  portion  of 
the  heathen  world ;  his  scourge,  to  inflict  summary  and 
severe  judgments  on  an  apostate  church,  and  to  check 
the  vast  power  she  has  accumulated  by  which  to  perse- 
cute the  saints  ;  and  his  channel  in  which,  durhig  the 
dark  ages,  to  preserve,  and  by  which  to  communicate  to 
his  chosen  inheritance,  (the  spiritual  seed  of  Abraham,)  a 
knowledge  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  of  literature,  and  of 
the  various  means  of  refinement  and  civilization.  Poor 
Ishmael,  though  often  with  an  ill  grace,  and  sometimes 
with  vengeance  in  his  heart,  has  all  his  days  been  made 
to  serve  the  posterity  of  Isaac,  the  seed  of  promise. 

"  O  that  Ishmael  might  live  before  thee."  Is  there  a 
blessing  for  Ishmael?  As  we  turn  to  Mohammedan 
countries  we  seem  to  see  hope  smiling  over  the  black 

5?3 


266  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

tents  of  Kedar.  Writers  well  versed  in  the  afFairs  of 
Islam,  who  look  on  Mohammedanism  as  a  corruption  of 
Judaism,  "an  anti-christian  heresy,"  "a  confused  form  of 
Christianity,"  a  "  bastard  Christianity"  as  Carlyle  calls  it, 
think  they^see  a  tendency  of  convergence  in  Mohamme- 
danism aiid  Christianity ;  the  "  imperfect  becoming  ab- 
sorbed in  the  perfect ;  the  moon  of  Mohammedanism 
resio-ning  its  borrowed  rays  to  meet  in  the  undivided 
light  of  the  everlasting  gospel,"  the  Sun  of  Righteousness.* 
Is  there  any  thing  in  the  present  condition  of  Mohamme- 
danism to  indicate  such  a  convergence  ?  A  brief  survey 
of  Islamism,  physically,  politically,  and  morally,  as  now 
to  be  seen,  may  throw  some  light  on  this  question. 

We  have  seen  the  Mohammedan  empire  stretching 
over  the  fairest  portions  of  the  globe,  from  the  Chinese 
sea  to  the  walls  of  Vienna  and  the  gates  of  Rome,  and  its 
proud  waves  stayed  only  by  the  broad  Atlantic.  The 
earth  once  trembled  before  the  throne  of  the  haughty 
Moslems,  "  till  princes  were  ambitious  of  its  alliance." 
Such  Moslems  as  Ghengis  Khan,  Tamerlane,  and  the 
great  Moguls  in  the  East,  and  Abbasides  of  Western 
Asia,  and  the  Ommiades  of  Spain,  have  ruled  the  world 
with  a  rod  of  iron.  Even  as  late  as  the  close  of  the  last 
century  the  authority  of  the  divan  of  Constantinople  was 
generally  respected.  But  where  is  the  political  power 
of  Islam  now  ?  It  is  numbered  among  the  things  that 
were.  Except  in  Turkey,  we  search  for  it  almost  in 
vain.  And  we  shall  soon  see  how  little  of  power  the 
Moslems  possess  even  in  Turkey. 

Though  the  religion  of  Mohammed  embraces  in  it 
some  truth,  to  which  we  are  to  attribute  much  of  the 
power  and  permanency  which  it  has  enjoyed  ;  yet  we 
must  bear  in  mind  it  is  characteristically  a  rehgion  of  the 
sword.  As  a  distinctive  system  it  exists  by  force.  Yet 
when  once  forced  on  a  community,  or  a  nation,  and  al- 
lowed to  develop  itself,  it  has,  with  much  error,  brought 
forth  some  good  fruit.  But  "  all  they  that  take  the  sword, 
shall  perish  with  the  sword,"  shall  perish  with,  the  laying 
down  of  the  sword.     We  need  not  apprehend  that  the 


Foster's  Mohammedanism  Unveiled. 


PRESENT    CONDITION    OF    ISLAMISM.  267 

religion  of  the  Koran  shall  outlive  the  civil  and  military 
pow^er  of  the  Moslems.  But  what  is  the  condition  of  this 
pov^^er  at  the  present  time  ?  For  an  ansv^^er  to  this  ques- 
tion, we  must  look  to  Constantinople  and  the  Turkish 
empire. 

Writing  from  the  East,  one  says  :  "  A  deplorable 
anarchy  prevails  in  Turkey.  The  European  powers 
thought  to  strengthen  the  Ottoman  empire  by  an  armed 
interference  in  her  internal  quarrels,  but  they  have  only 
added  fuel  to  the  flame.  Turkey  is  in  the  agonies  of  dis- 
solution, and  will  soon  be  a  corpse.  There  is  no  law,  no 
safety,  no  security  for  property  in  this  unhappy  country. 
Is  not  this  a  sign  that  the  last  hour  is  coming  tor  the  fol- 
lowers of  Mohammed  ?"  Before  Napoleon  Bonaparte 
had  inflicted  the  incurable  wound  on  Rome,  or  exerted 
his  dread  commission  in  heaven's  retributive  justice  on 
Austria,  Russia  and  Prussia,  for  their  wrongs  on  poor 
Poland,  he  had  already  aimed  as  deadly  a  thrust  at  the 
Sublime  Porte ;  and  but  for  the  interference,  in  either 
case,  of  Protestant  England,  he  would,  in  all  human 
probability,  have  totally  demolished  the  monstrous  fabrics 
both  of  Popery  and  Islamism.  By  his  expedition  and 
success  in  Egypt,  he  not  only  himself  struck  a  heavy  blow 
on  Turkish  power,  but  he  revealed  to  the  whole  political 
world  the  weakness  of  the  Turkish  empire.  Hordes  of 
Turks,  Arabs,  and  Mamelukes,  were  seen  to  be  no  match 
for  an  European  soldiery.  Turkey  has  since  lain  a  prey 
at  the  feet  of  Christian  nations,  to  be  seized  the  moment 
the  victors  can  agree  on  the  division  of  the  spoil.  Her 
people  are  demoralized ;  her  institutions  and  opinions  an- 
tiquated ;  her  army  without  discipline  or  bravery  ;  her 
government  superannuated  and  without  authority ;  a 
nation  with  no  homogeneity,  or  moral  and  political  cohe- 
sion ;  without  manufactures  or  commerce,  with  little 
money,  and  less  justice  in  her  rulers,  or  security  for  her 
people  ;  that  is  to  say,  all  the  vital  parts  of  society  are 
struck  with  death.* 

And  so  she  remains,  with  no  inherent  power  of  her 
own  by  which  to  restore  herself,  or  to  preserve  herself  as 

*  Correspondence  of  the  New  York  Observer. 


268  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

she  is,  but  only  propped  up  by  the  jealousy  of  European 
nations.  Strenuous  attempts  have  been  made  of  late 
years  to  reinstate  the  decayed  energies  of  the  Moslems. 
She  remains  but  the  shadow  of  what  she  was,  "  a  sad 
spectacle  of  inevitable  dissolution."  We  need  only  take 
the  most  cursory  survey  of  Mohanimedan  countries  as 
they  now  are,  and  the  conclusion  will  be  forced  upon  us 
that  the  power  of  Islam  is  on  the  wane.  Many  of  its 
empires,  celebrated  in  the  history  of  past  times,  have 
already  become  Christian,  or  are  subjected  to  Christian 
powers.  The  empire  of  the  great  Moguls  is  no  more. 
Persia  has  little  either  of  power  or  independence.  Like 
Turkey,  she  only  exists  by  sufferance.  Afghanistan  has 
been  terrified  and  humbled.  Algiers  is  subjected  to  a 
Christian  nation.  "  Greece,  awaking  from  her  long  stu- 
por, uttered  the  cry  of  liberty,  in  the  name  of  glorious 
ancestors,  and  a  heroic  struggle  achieved  her  independ- 
ence." The  right  arm  of  Turkey  was  palsied  at  the 
battle  of  Navarino.  Already  there  is  not  a  Moslem  power 
that  can  stand  of  itself 

But  political  power  to  Mohammedanism  is  essential  to 
its  existence ;  empire  and  territorial  extension,  essential 
parts  of  the  promise  to  Ishmael ;  and  as  we  see  these 
passing  away,  we  may  receive  it  as  an  undoubted  omen 
that  the  religion  of  the  Moslems  is  drawing  near  its  end. 
"  The  great  obstacle,"  says  an  intelligent  missionary,  "  to 
the  conversion  of  the  Mohammedans,  is  their  poiver,  and 
their  pride  of  power,  but  the  fact  that  their  power  is  pass- 
ing away,  has  produced  a  great  change  among  them." 
Infidelity  cannot  compare  the  present  condition  of  Mo- 
hammedanism with  the  past,  without  recognizing  the 
hand  of  God  in  the  change. 

Nor  will  the  same  providential  feature  appear  less  dis- 
tinct in  a  religious  survey  of  the  system.  The  moral 
power  of  Islam  is  as  eflfectually  weakened  or  annihilated 
as  its  political  power.  "  Immorality,"  says  one,  "  has 
awfully  increased  among  the  Mohammedans  of  Asiatic 
Turkey ;"  and  others  speak  of  the  "  decline  of  Moham- 
medanism in  spirit  and  zeal;"  "enthusiasm  gone;"  "fasts 
unobserved,  and  the  prescribed  prayers  and  the  ritual 
neglected."     The  power  and  spirit  have  well  nigh  de- 


DOWNFALL    OF    MOHAMMEDAN    POWER.  269 

parted,  and  nothing  remains  but  the  death-stricken  body, 
ready  to  crumble  to  decay.  And  in  correspondence  with 
all  this,  we  meet  a  physical  wasting  away  of  the  once 
gigantic  power  of  the  Moslems.  "  Depopulation,"  says  a 
correspondent  from  that  quarter,  "  has  been  going  on 
rapidly  during  the  year  1838,  the  plague,  small-pox,  and 
other  diseases,  carried  off  in  one  province  most  of  the 
children  under  two  years  old."  In  another  district 
"  where  three  hundred  yoke  of  oxen  used  to  be  employed, 
the  ground  is  now  tilled  with  twelve.  The  country^'is 
drained  of  its  inhabitants,  too,  by  the  frequent  draughts 
of  young  men  to  serve  in  the  army.  There  is  every  in- 
dication that  the  strength  of  the  empire  is  gone.  The 
waters  of  the  great  Euphrates  are  drying  up." 

"  And  power  luas  given  unto  him  to  conti?iue  forty  and 
two  months,"  1260  years;  which  period  has  almost  ex- 
pired. The  Rev.  Dr.  Grant,  whose  authority  in  this 
matter  we  may  quote  with  much  confidence,  speaks  thus 
of  the  approaching  end  of  the  great  Eastern  Anti-christ : 
"In  Persia  it  is  commonly  believed  that  the  existing 
Mohammedan  power  is  near  its  end.  Calculations  have 
been  made  by  one  of  their  seers,  which  lead  them  to  be- 
lieve that  its  days  are  numbered,  and  limited  to  a  very 
few  remaining  years.  In  Turkey,  in  Mesopotamia,  and 
even  among  the  wild  mountains  of  central  Koordistan, 
where  the  subject  was  gravely  canvassed,  I  found  a  pre- 
vailing impression  that  the  arm  of  the  Mohammedan 
power  is  soon  to  be  broken ;  and  such,  too,  is  the  general 
belief  among  the  Moslems  of  Egypt  and  Syria.  More- 
over, such  is  the  posture  of  things  in  the  East,  and  such 
the  increasing  developments  of  Providence,  that  a  general 
expectation  of  the  speedy  downfall  of  the  empire  of  Mo- 
hammed prevails  throughout  Christendom ;  while  those 
of  us  who  have  resided  within  the  borders  of  that  empire, 
have  been  sensibly  impressed  with  the  fact  that  we  were 
the  tenants  of  a  falling  edifice. 

"  A  missionary,  long  resident  in  the  metropolis  of 
Turkey,  remarked,  that  'it  requires  no  prophecies  to 
satisfy  us  that  the  Mohammedan  power  is  falling  to  ruins, 
and  must  soon  be  at  an  end.'  The  astonishing  changes 
now  taking  place  portend  its  overthrow.     The  Moslem 

23* 


270  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

feels  that  *  fate'  has  so  decreed  it ;  and  the  Christian  may 
here  learn  that  the  Almighty  has  set  bounds  to  its  dura- 
tion, and  that  its  days  are  fast  hastening  to  a  close." 

But  Mohammedan  countries  present  another  aspect. 
Certain  encouraging  features  pleasantly  contrast  with 
the  foregoing.  While  the  waters  of  the  great  Euphrates 
are  gradually  drying  up,  while  the  gigantic  structure  of 
Islam  is  falling  to  decay,  there  is  springing  up  amidst  its 
ruins  a  more  sightly  edifice. 

The  late  toleration  act  of  the  Sublime  Porte,  is  but  of 
a  piece  with  the  past  history  of  Mohammedanism. 
Though  the  power  of  the  Moslems  is  broken,  their  de- 
caying energies  are  roused  to  resist  the  persecuting  spirit 
of  Anti-christ  when  found  in  the  Roman,  Greek,  or  Ar- 
menian church.  In  the  late  persecutions  by  the  Armenian 
Patriarch,  the  Turks,  as  usual,  espoused  the  cause  of 
evangelical  Christianity,  and  raised  the  governmental 
arm  to  arrest  the  madness  of  the  persecutors.  It  was 
the  arm  of  Providence.  True  to  its  character,  Moham- 
medanism is  again  a  scourge  and  a  judgment  on  a  cor- 
rupt Christianity,  and  a  shield  against  anti-christian  per- 
secutors. Had  not  the  sword  of  the  crescent  been  drawn, 
where,  in  other  times,  would  the  ravages  of  the  Beast  and 
the  Dragon  have  been  stayed  ?  The  mere  chronicler  of 
events  asks  why  the  Turks,  in  1453,  were  permitted  to 
take  and  hold  Constantinople,  and  with  such  iron  severity 
to  hold  control  over  the  Eastern  church  ?  The  Christian 
historian  replies  :  "  This  very  circumstance  arrested  the 
'perversion  of  the  ti'uth  b}^  a  corrupt  church,  and  wrested 
from  the  hands  of  persecutors  the  sword  of  violence. 
The  Moslems  were  the  watch-dogs  of  Providence,  to 
protect  the  flock  and  to  control  the  wolf  Nothing  short 
of  the  relentless  arm  and  the  iron  sinews  of  the  Turk, 
could  arrest  the  maddening  progress  of  the  Beast.  In  the 
late  Armenian  persecution,  we  again  see  the  stern  Mos- 
lem interposing  the  shield  against  the  fiery  darts  of  Anti- 
christ. 

And  here  we  have  to  note  another  agency,  which  has 
been  made,  providentially,  to  produce  the  same  result.  I 
mean  the  movements  of  England  and  Prussia  to  secure 
the  toleration  of  Protestant  Christianity,  and  to  resist  the 


TURKISH    REFORMS.  271 

political  influence  of  Russia  through  the  Greek  church, 
and  France  through  the  Romish.  Without  this  providen- 
tial interposition,  the  palsied  arm  of  Turkey  would  prob- 
ably prove  too  weak  to  resist  the  unceasing  encroach- 
ments of  the  Beast. 

Indeed,  throughout  their  whole  history,  the  Moslems 
have  been  true  to  themselves  and  to  the  divine  commis- 
sion which  they  seem  destined  to  fulfill,  to  check  and 
scourge  Anti-christ  In  Spain,  the  oppressed  and  outraged 
Jew  hailed  in  secret  the  approach  of  the  invading  Sara- 
cens, regarded  them  as  deliverers,  and  openly  co-operated 
with  them  in  attacking  their  Christian  enemies.  And 
good  reason  had  they  to  rejoice  at  their  deliverance  from 
Gothic  tyranny,  as  they  "  lived  in  peace  and  plenty  under 
the  milder  rule  of  their  new  masters."  Historians  speak  of 
the  "  brilliant  age  of  the  kingdoms  of  Cordova  and  Grenada 
as  a  cheering  light  amidst  the  darkness  and  ignorance 
which  Europe  then  presented" — of  "  their  liberal  tolera- 
tion granted  to  all  religious  sects" — "a  wise  and  benefi- 
cent policy  long  characterized  the  Moors,  and  deservedly 
raised  their  dominions  to  a  great  height  of  prosperity." 

To  the  Jews,  says  Milman,  "the  Moslem  crescent 
was  as  a  star  which  seemed  to  soothe  to  peace  the  trou- 
bled waters  on  which  they  had  been  so  long  agitated. 
Throughout  the  dominions  of  the  Caliphs  of  the  East,  in 
Africa,  in  Spain  and  in  the  Byzantine  empire,  we  behold 
the  Jews  not  only  pursuing  their  lucrative  and  enter- 
prising traffick,  not  merely  merchants  of  splendor  and  op- 
ulence, but  suddenly  emerging  to  offices  of  dignity  and 
trust,  administering  the  finances  of  Christian  and  Moham- 
medan kingdoms,  and  traveling  as  embassadors  between 
mighty  sovereigns. 

Another  feature  which  characterizes  the  Moslems  of 
the  present  day,  especially  the  Turks,  is  a  struggling  spirit 
of  reform.  The  present  Sultan,  like  his  immediate  prede- 
cessor, has  been  at  much  pains  to  cultivate  an  acquaint- 
ance with  the  West,  and  to  introduce  European  improve- 
ments, and  to  encourage  European  skill.  He  has  effected 
many  useful  reforms.  And  the  present  Grand  Vizier  is 
a  liberal  and  a  well  educated  man,  acquainted  with  Euro- 
pean civilization,  having  been  embassador  to  Paris  and 


272  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

London.  He  is  laboring,  and  not  without  success,  to 
modify  the  laws,  and  to  correct  the  manners  of  the  Turks. 
]\ot  long  since,  we  heard  of  the  Sultan  presiding  in  per- 
son at  a  meeting  of  his  council,  and  himself  proposing  the 
abolition  of  the  slave  trade  in  his  dominions ;  a  measure 
which  has  since  been  carried  into  effect. 

Innovations  of  the  most  encouraging  character  are 
daily  becoming  more  and  more  rife  among  the  Turks, 
showing  a  delightful  progress  of  civilized  and  liberal  ideas 
among  "the  leading  minds  of  the  nation,  which  cannot  but 
meet  a  response,  sooner  or  later,  in  the  popular  mind.  Mo- 
nopolies are  abolished  ;  internal  improvements  made  ;  re- 
strictions removed  ;  a  regular  system  of  taxation  to  take 
the  place  of  a  miserable  and  oppressive  mode  of  "  farm- 
ing" out  a  town  or  province  for  a  fixed  sum.  .  But  the  in- 
novation of  the  mightiest  magnitude,  the  one  which  has 
perhaps  done  most  to  break  up  the  stagnations  of  Turkish 
orientalism,  is  the  introduction  of  steam  navigation.  This 
has  opened  a  new  chapter  to  the  sluggish  mind  of  the  East, 
and  portends  a  revolution,  moral,  poUtical,  social  and  in- 
tellectual, of  vast  interest  to  the  Christian  philanthropist. 
New  elements  of  improvement  are  now- set  to  work.  Fa- 
cilities of  intercourse  and  communication  are  increased 
an  hundred  fold — mind  is  brought  in  contact  with  mind. 
Activity  and  enterprise  in  business  are  promoted — punc- 
tuality enforced,  and  a  complete  revolution  effected  on 
the  stereotyped  habits  of  centuries.  The  whole  is  told  in 
a  word,  in  the  felicitous  style  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Goodell,  of 
Constantinople :  "  The  Turks  have  been  squatted  down 
here  for  ages,  smoking  their  pipes  with  all  gravity,  and 
reading  the  Koran,  without  being  once  disturbed.  When, 
lo !  a  steamer  dashes  right  in  among  them,  and  they  have 
to  scramble  out  of  the  way." 

It  is,  too,  quite  a  new  feature  in  those  lands,  which  have 
been  left  to  pine  so  long  under  the  pale  light  of  the  cres- 
cent, and  one  indicating  the  hand  of  God  at  work  for  their 
redemption,  that  the  Press  has  at  length  become  no  in- 
considerable part  of  the  machinery  of  modern  society 
there.  A  large  imperial  printing  establishment  exists  in 
Constantinople — "new  presses  are  daily  set  up  in  the 
principal  towns  of  the  empire,  and  all  desirable  facilities 


PLEASING    REFLECTION.  273 

granted  to  writers  and  journalists."  A  large  number  of 
periodical  works  and  journals  are  published  in  the  Otto- 
man empire,  among  which  we  find  the  Ottoman  Moniteur 
or  State  Gazette,  by  a  Frenchman,  at  the  capital.  All 
sorts  of  books  are  distributed  through  the  empire  without 
obstruction ;  and  reading-rooms  are  established  in  some 
of  the  principal  towns,  supplied  with  all  works  of  impor- 
tance from  France,  Germany  and  England.  Books  of 
travels  are  written  and  published  by  Turkish  functiona- 
ries who  have  resided  in  Europe ;  relating  to  their  coun- 
trymen the  wondrous  achievements  of  science  and  civ- 
ilization, and  showing  the  Turks  how  far  they  are  behind 
Christian  nations. 

A  complete  change  has,  within  a  few  years,  been  ef- 
fected in  Turkey,  with  regard  to  the  periodical  press  and 
books.  But  a  short  time  since,  printing  was  not  known 
there ;  now  it  is  in  great  honor.  This  is  an  advanced 
step  in  that  long  stagnant  empire,  presaging  a  no  distant 
change.  With  the  Sultan  at  the  head  of  those  who  wish 
reform,  Turkey  is  "  making  prodigious  efforts  to  escape 
from  a  state  of  ignorance  and  degradation." 

We  may  therefore  conclude  this  chapter  with  the  very 
pleasant  reflection,  that  the  countries  occupied  by  the 
spiritual  seed  of  the  Ishmaelitish  branch  of  the  Abrahamic 
family,  are,  as  never  before,  providentially  prepared  to 
receive  the  message  of  the  true  Prophet,  and  to  act  as  co- 
workers with  the  spiritual  seed  of  Abraham  through  the 
Heir  of  Promise,  in  the  defence  and  spread  of  the  truth. 
Already  the  "  crescent  is  protecting  the  cross" — the  state 
is  throwing  its  arms  around  the  Armenian  converts,  and 
saves  them  from  the  fury  of  their  persecutors.  And, 
what  is  beautifully  illustrative  of  the  rich  beneficence  of 
Providence,  while  the  Turks  have  been  protecting  the 
persecuted  Armenians,  they  have  themselves  been  brought 
intimately  and  effectually  in  contact  with  the  truth.  The 
late  persecution  of  the  evangelical  Armenians  has  pre- 
sented the  truth  to  the  Turkish  mind  in  a  more  tangible, 
visible,  impressive  form  than  all  the  preaching  of  the  last 
century.  In  the  victims  of  persecution,  who  have  been 
brought  before  their  tribunals,  or  been  met  in  private  or 
social  life,  the  Turks  have  seen  living  illustrations  of  the 


274  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HIriTORY. 

power  of  gospel  truth,  both  in  sustaining  them  in  the  fur- 
nace of  affliction,  and  in  transforming  their  characters. 
*'  Witnessing  their  excellent  lives,  and  hearing  them  ex- 
plain the  true  nature  of  the  gospel,  the  Turks  are  begin- 
ning now  to  feel  that  they  never  before  had  any  correct 
idea  of  what  constitutes  real  Christianity."  The  speci- 
mens heretofore  before  them  neither  gave  any  right  idea 
of  what  Bible  Christianity  is,  or  held  out  any  inducement 
to  the  Turk  to  change  his  religion.  For  the  Turks,  gen- 
erally speaking,  are,  (and  always  have  been,)  a  better 
people,  more  honest,  more  virtuous  than  any  nominally 
Christian  people  dispersed  among  them. 

Providence  has  at  length  furnished  the  Turks  with  ster- 
ling examples  of  Christian  character,  and  of  the  trans- 
forming power  of  Christianity — living  epistles,  read  and 
known  of  all  men. 


CHAPTER   XV. 


Hand  op  God  in  the  Turkish  Empire.  The  Turkish  Government  and  Christianity. 
Mr.  Dwight's  communication.  Change  of  the  last  fifty  years.  Destruction  of  the 
Janizaries.  Greek  Revolution.  Reform.  Death  of  Mahmoud.  The  Charter  of 
Gul  Khaneh.  Religious  Liberty.  Persecution  arrested.  Steam  Navigation  in 
Turkey.  Providential  incidents.  Protestant  Governments  and  Turkey.  Their  pres- 
ent Embassadors.    Foreign  Protestant  Residents.    Late  exemption  from  the  plague. 

It  will  not  be  void  of  interest,  we  trust,  to  notice  here 
a  little  more  particularly  some  of  the  providential  move- 
ments which  have  brought  Mohammedan  countries,  es- 
pecially the  Turkish  Empire,  into  their  present  interesting 
position.  It  is  but  a  few  years  since  we  could  see  nothing 
in  the  Turkish  empire  but  an  iron  despotism,  and  nothing 
in  the  Turks'  religion  but  a  savage  intolerance.  Late  ac- 
counts from  that  quarter  have  quite  astonished  us — they 
seem  almost  incredible ;  and  would  have  been  quite  incredi- 
ble in  any  age  but  ours.     Says  Dr.  Baird,  "  the  Turkish 


TURKISH    GOVERNMENT    AND    CHRISTIANITY.  275 

Government  now  favors  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  The 
Pacha  of  Egypt  and  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  are  disposed  to 
protect  missionaries,  and  the  time  is  at  hand  when  Mus- 
sulmen  may,  with  entire  impunity,  embrace  the  gospel.'* 
Indeed,  such  is  the  construction  put  on  the  late  act  of 
toleration,  that  such  a  time  seems  fully  to  have  come. 
No  Moslem  may  now  be  molested  on  account  of  rejecting 
Mohammed.  "  The  people  of  Turkey,"  says  another, 
*'  are  in  a  wonderful  state  of  preparation  for  the  preach- 
ing to  them  of  a  pure  gospel."  And  adds  the  Rev.  G. 
W.  Wood,  of  Constantinople  :  "  It  is  probably  no  exag- 
geration to  say  that  within  a  year  past  (1846)  more 
knowledge  of  the  true  gospel  has  been  spread  among  the 
Turks  than  all  which  they  had  previously  obtained  since 
they  first  crossed  the  Euphrates." 

Such  a  result  is  to  be  attributed  very  much  to  the  late 
progress  of  Christianity  among  the  Armenians  of  the 
Turkish  empire,  and  to  the  recent  persecutions  among 
them.  Never  before  has  a  pure  gospel  been  preached  in 
Turkey  so  extensively,  and  certainly  have  the  Turks 
never  before  had  the  excellencies  of  Christianity  so  viv- 
idly and  favorably  illustrated  before  them.  The  evangel- 
ical preaching,  and  liberal  teachings  of  the  missionaries, 
have  of  themselves  conveyed  throughout  the  whole  com- 
munity an  immense  amount  of  Scripture  truth ;  and,  be- 
sides, have  provoked  to  jealousy  many  a  priest  and  bishop 
to  go  and  do  likewise.  Hence,  gospel  truth  has  been 
made,  in  a  great  degree,  to  pervade  the  Turkish  nation. 

Such  changes  are  attracting  the  attention  of  the  ob- 
servers of  human  affairs.  The  most  unbelieving  philoso- 
pher will  surely  be  moved  to  inquire  into  the  reasons  of 
so  unwonted  and  unexpected  changes,  and  will  be  nothing 
loth  to  trace  out  the  steps,  as  far  as  he  may,  by  which  so 
great  and  pleasing  a  revolution  has  been  brought  about. 
To  aid  him  in  such  researches  is  the  design  of  this  chapter. 

The  writer  would  here  thankfully  acknowledge  his  in- 
debtedness to  the  Rev.  H.  G.  O.  Dwight,  of  Constantino- 
ple, for  interesting  facts  found  in  this  chapter,  illustrating 
our  general  subject.  Nor  will  he  be  careful  to  give  him 
credit  by  quotation  marks  for  his  excellent  and  much 
valued  communication,  cheerfully  yielding  to  so  valued  a 


276  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

friend  and  excellent  missionary,  all  that  is  of  any  ap- 
preciable worth  in  the  chapter.  For  the  last  eighteen  or 
twenty  years  Mr.  Dwight  has  been  a  close  and  discrim- 
inating observer  of  the  hand  of  God  in  the  Turkish  em- 
pire. He  has  observed  with  the  eye  of  a  Christian 
philosopher,  a  philosophic  historian,  and  a  zealous,  able, 
judicious,  hoping  missionary.  He  has,  as  the  following 
paragraphs  show,  carefully  v^^atched  the  progressive  steps 
of  Providence  as  He  has  been  preparing  that  hitherto 
unpropitious  soil  to  receive  the  good  seed  of  the  word. 

In  a  note  accompanying  his  communication,  Mr. 
Dwight  says  :  "  You  have  given  me  a  mighty  subject,  and 
I  feel  wholly  incompetent  to  the  task  of  properly  present- 
ing it.  After  having  tried  to  summon  all  the  powers  of 
my  mind,  (and  also  the  aid  of  my  brethren  h^re,)  to  this 
deeply  interesting  investigation,  I  am  sure  I  have  said 
very  little  of  what  might  be  said,  and  what  will  be  un- 
folded in  eternity  to  the  wondering  minds  of  God's  people, 
of  all  his  providential  interpositions  in  behalf  of  his 
church  here.  I  pray  that  the  Lord  will  pardon  me  that, 
in  my  weakness,  I  have  made  so  imperfect  and  unworthy 
a  record  of  his  doings  around  us,  and  that  he  will  grant 
unto  me,  and  to  all  his  people,  more  and  more  of  his 
divine  aid  to  enable  us  to  see  more  clearly  his  stately 
footsteps  among  the  children  of  men.  Let  us  remember 
that  we  have  to  do  with  One  who  openeth  and  no  man 
shutteth,  and  shutteth  and  no  man  openeth.  According 
to  my  opinion,  God  is  ovmipotent  in  his  works  of  Provi- 
dence, as  he  was  in  the  work  of  creation." 

To  introduce  the  gospel  into  Turkey  fifty  years  ago, 
would  have  been  an  enterprise  fraught  with  difficulties 
and  dangers.  Evangelical  labors  among  the  Moham- 
medans, would  have  been,  (as  perhaps  they  are  still,)  en- 
tirely out  of  the  question.  No  Turk  could  have  embraced 
the  Christian  religion,  without  losing  his  head,  and  the 
missionary  who  should  have  appeared  in  Turkey  for  the 
avowed  purpose  of  converting  the  Mohammedans  to 
Christianity,  in  those  times  of  the  Janizaries,  would 
probably  have  shared  a  similar  fate.  At  any  rate,  his 
presence  would  not  have  been  tolerated  in  the  country 
for  an  hour.     If  he  had  come  to  labor  only  among'  the 


DESTRUCTION    OF    THE    JANIZARIES.  277 

nominally  Christian  sects,  he  might  not  so  soon  have  at- 
tracted towards  him  the  attention  of  the  Government, 
but  his  situation  in  the  country  would  have  been  preca- 
rious, just  in  proportion  to  his  success.  The  Patriarchs 
of  the  different  Christian  communities  were  then  permit- 
ted to  exercise  a  very  arbitrary  and  tyrannical  power 
over  their  own  people.  They  could  flog,  imprison,  and 
exile  whom  they  liked,  by  the  aid  and  consent  of  the 
Turkish  Government,  without  being  required  to  establish 
by  evidence,  any  definite  charge  against  the  individual. 
In  this  way,  even  as  late  as  the  year  1828,  the  Arme- 
nian Patriarch  procured  the  banishment  of  several  thou- 
sands of  his  subjects,  (many  of  them  rich  and  influential,) 
and  their  property  was  confiscated,  on  a  most  frivolous 
pretense, — their  only  crime  being  that  they  were  Catho- 
lics, and  did  not,  of  course,  symbolize  with  the  Armenian 
church  in  their  religious  views. 

The  destruction  of  the  Janizaries  must  be  considered 
as  among  the  most  important  providential  first-steps  to- 
wards breaking  up  this  ancient  system,  and  opening  the 
way  for  missionary  efforts.  It  was,  in  fact,  the  death- 
blow to  the  power  of  the  Ottoman  empire,  although  not 
seen  to  be  such  by  him  who  inflicted  it.  From  that  mo- 
ment the  Turkish  government  has  been  growing  weaker 
and  weaker,  and  its  only  hope  of  a  renewal  of  its  former 
strength,  is  an  entire  abolishment  of  the  old  despotic  sys- 
tem, and  the  establishment  of  just  and  righteous  laws, 
securing  to  all  its  subjects  their  proper  civil  and  religious 
rights. 

Of  course,  with  the  downfall  of  despotic  power  in  the 
civil  government,  the  downfall  of  ecclesiastical  power 
derived  from  that  government,  is  necessarily  involved. 

The  revolution  and  independence  of  Greece  is  another 
great  event  in  the  history  of  the  Turkish  empire,  which 
has  been  made,  providentially,  to  work  so  as  to  favor 
the  introduction  of  the  gospel  into  the  country.  What- 
ever has  contributed  to  weaken  the  original  Turkish  sys- 
tem, and  render  this  government  dependent  on  the  great 
nations  of  Europe,  must  be  considered  as  a  providential 
instrumentality  employed  by  the  great  Head  of  the 
Church,  to  prepare  for  the  coming  of  his  kingdom.     Of 

24 


278  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

course,  the  quasi  independence  of  Egypt,  and  the  frequent 
disturbances  in  Syria,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  country, 
must  be  classed  under  this  head. 

Whatever  providential  circumstances  of  this  sort  com- 
pel the  Turks  to  throw  themselves  upon  their  European 
allies  for  assistance  or  protection,  or  encourage  those 
allies  in  officiously  volunteering  such  assistance,  must 
always  tend  to  place  Turkey  more  and  more  under  the 
influence  of  the  European  powers ;  so  that  England, 
France  and  Russia,  have  now  come  to  have  a  sort  of 
right  to  interfere  in  the  internal  regulations  of  this  coun- 
try, and  the  administration  of  its  government.  And,  al- 
though these  foreign  powers  sometimes  pull  in  opposite 
directions,  yet,  on  the  whole,  their  influence  is  to  advance 
civilization,  and  establish  just  and  righteous  laws,  and 
religious  toleration. 

Since  the  overthrow  of  the  Janizaries,  reform  has 
been  the  order  of  the  day  in  Turkey ;  and,  although  the 
work  has  proceeded  slowly,  yet  no  one  can  deny  that  a 
steady  progress  has  been  made.  Sultan  Mahmoud  pos- 
sessed a  clear,  liberal,  and  independent  mind,  and  he 
marched  on,  prudently  and  steadily,  from  step  to  step,  in 
his  efforts  to  establish  the  regeneration  of  his  country  ; 
and  before  his  death  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  im- 
portant changes  introduced.  He  seems  to  have  been 
especially  raised  up  and  qualified  for  the  age  and  country 
in  which  he  lived,  and  the  high  and  arduous  work  to 
v/hich  he  was  called.  The  man  of  faith,  who  sees  God's 
finger  in  every  event  that  transpii'es  in  this  world,  most 
readily  ascribes  to  God's  special  providence  the  raising 
up  of  such  a  sovereign  as  Mahmoud,  at  such  a  time.  All 
his  reforms,  though  such  an  effect  was  probably  farthest 
possible  from  his  thoughts,  tended  in  a  most  remarkable 
manner,  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  coming  of  Christ's 
kingdom  in  this  land.  The  pecuUar  juncture  at  which 
he  died,  must  also  attract  the  attention  of  a  believer  in 
Providence. 

Some  Armenians  of  rank,  who  were  exceedingly  hos- 
tile to  the  spread  of  evangelical  sentiments  in  their  com- 
munity, in  the  year  1839,  through  a  combination  of  cir- 
cumstances, gained  direct  access  to  the  ear  of  Mahmoud, 


DEATH    OF    MAHMOUD.  279 

(a  very  unusual  privilege,)  and  by  misrepresentations, 
procured  his  active  hostility  against  those  of  his  subjects 
who  had  embraced  the  evangelical  religion.  He  was  in- 
duced to  put  forth  his  mighty  power  to  persecute  the  true 
followers  of  Christ,  and  several  were  banished,  and  others 
were  sorely  threatened,  and  it  was  determined  to  make 
the  most  vigorous  efforts  to  remove  the  missionaries  from 
the  country.  When  the  persecution  was  at  its  height, 
and  the  enemies  of  God  seemed  to  have  every  thing  in 
their  own  way,  and  there  were  many  fears  that  the  gar- 
den of  the  Lord  would  be  completely  overrun  and  devas- 
tated by  the  destroyer,  the  great  Mahmoud  suddenly 
died,  and  with  him,  for  the  time  being,  passed  away  all 
the  power  of  the  persecutors  to  do  further  injury. 

One  of  those  who  suffered  banishment  during  this  per- 
secution, was  Mr.  Hohannes,  now  in  America.  He  was 
then  the  leading  man  among  the  evangelical  Armenians 
of  Constantinople,  and  he  was  kept  in  exile  a  year  after 
the  Sultan's  death  ;  and  it  was  the  declared  intention  of 
his  enemies,  that  this  banishment  should  be  perpetual. 
And  they  would  probably  have  accomplished  their  pur- 
pose, had  not  God,  in  his  providence,  raised  up  for  him  a 
deliverer,  just  in  the  time  of  need.  A  humane  and 
friendly  English  medical  man  was  appointed  one  of  the 
physicians  of  the  Sultan's  palace,  and  this  situation  ena- 
bled him  to  speak  a  good  word  for  the  exile,  which  pro- 
cured his  restoration. 

The  changes  that  have  taken  place  since  the  present 
Sultan  came  upon  the  throne,  indicating  a  providential 
preparation  for  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in 
this  land,  are  still  more  marked  than  during  the  previous 
reign.  Soon  after  Abdul  Medjid  succeeded  his  father, 
the  famous  Charter  of  Gul  Khanek  (so  called,)  was 
granted  to  the  people,  in  the  presence  of  all  the  foreign 
embassadors.  This  was  the  more  remarkable,  since  it 
was  not  only  not  called  for  by  the  people,  but  such  were 
the  prejudices  in  favor  of  the  old  system,  that  the  new 
must  be  introduced  with  the  greatest  prudence  and  cau- 
tion. The  world  then  witnessed  the  extraordinary  spec- 
tacle of  a  despotic  monarch,  of  his  own  accord,  granting 
political  rights  and  privileges  to  a  people  so  wholly  un- 


280  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

prepared  for  them,  as  to  render  the  very  offer  of  them 
dangerous  to  the  peace  of  the  community.  The  funda- 
mental principle  of  this  charter  was,  that  the  liberty,  prop- 
erty, and  honor  of  every  individual  in  the  community, 
v^ithout  reference  to  religious  sentiments,  should  be 
sacredly  guarded.  No  one  was  to  be  condemned,  in  any 
case,  without  an  impartial  trial ;  and  no  one  was  to  suffer 
the  extreme  penalty  of  the  law,  without  the  sanction  of 
the  Sultan.  Here  was  a  marked  providential  preparation 
for  the  protection  of  God's  people  in  time  of  persecution. 
To  the  principles  of  this  charter  appeals  have  since  been 
made,  by  suffering  Protestants,  hundreds  of  times,  and 
under  its  cover  they  have  been  protected  ;  while,  under 
the  former  system,  there  would  have  been  no  help  for 
them. 

But  by  far  the  most  important  innovation  upon  Turk- 
ish law  and  custom,  as  affecting  directly  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  is  that  which  was  effected  chiefly  through  the  in- 
tervention of  His  Excellency  Sir  Stratford  Canning ; 
namely,  the  abolition  of  the  odious  law  requiring  the  de- 
capitation of  backsliding  Mussulmans.  The  whole  his- 
tory of  this  movement  is  interesting  in  the  extreme,  and 
opens  one  of  the  most  instructive  pages  in  the  wonderful 
book  of  God's  providence.  An  Armenian  young  man,  of 
obscure  family,  and  of  no  personal  importance,  was  un- 
derstood to  have  become  a  Mussulman.  This  is  an  event 
of  not  unfrequent  occurrence  in  Turkey.  The  individual 
in  question,  before  being  formally  initiated  into  the 
Turkish  faith,  repented  of  his  folly,  and  made  his  escape 
to  a  neighboring  kingdom.  After  an  absence  of  a  year 
or  two,  he  returned,  supposing  that  there  would  be  no 
further  search  for  him.  He  was  soon  recognized,  how- 
ever, and  apprehended,  and  sentenced  to  death,  according 
to  Mohammedan  law.  The  British  Embassador  now 
stepped  in,  and  interceded  for  his  life.  The  promise  was 
given  by  the  Turkish  Government  that  the  young  man 
should  not  be  executed.  Turkish  fanaticism,  however, 
prevailed,  and  the  renegade  was  publicly  beheaded.  And 
furthermore,  a  few  days  after,  a  renegade  Greek  was  also 
beheaded,  in  a  village  near  Broosa.  These  acts  of  the 
Porte  being  in  direct  violation  of  its  promise,  and  par- 


RELIGIOUS    LIBERTY.  281 

ticularly  the  second  execution,  so  closely  upon  the  first, 
very  naturally  had  the  effect  to  render  the  honorable  rep- 
resentative of"  the  British  Government  more  decided  and 
peremptory  in  his  demands.  Sir  Statford  could,  of 
course,  do  nothing  further  for  the  individual  whose  case 
had  been  the  particular  cause  of  his  remonstrances,  but 
he  demanded,  and  procured  from  the  Sultan,  a  written 
pledge,  that  from  henceforth,  no  Christian,  becoming  a 
Mussulman,  and  returning  to  his  former  religion,  shall  be 
put  to  death  in  the  Turkish  dominions.  The  French 
Embassador  united  with  the  English  in  making  this  de- 
mand, and  both  were  strongly  backed  up  by  their  re- 
spective governments.  The  Russian  Minister  ultimately 
joined  the  other  two.  It  was  said  by  some,  that  the  fact 
of  the  second  person  executed  being  a  Greek,  was  the 
means  of  calling  the  Russian  Government  into  action. 
The  ground  assumed  by  these  European  powers  was, 
that  such  executions  were  a  public  reproach  cast  upon 
the  Christian  religion,  which  is  the  religion  of  Europe. 

The  promise  of  the  Sultan  has  since  been  interpreted 
by  the  British  Embassador,  and  the  interpretation  has, 
again  and  again,  been  admitted  by  the  Porte,  that  no 
religious  persecution,  of  whatever  kind,  is  to  be  allowed 
in  the  Turkish  empire.  This  was,  in  fact,  the  precise 
wording  of  the  verbal  promise  given  by  the  Sultan  to  the 
Embassador,  though  the  written  pledge  was  somewhat 
more  restricted  in  its  terms.  This  new  principle,  thus 
introduced,  has  been  successfully  appealed  to,  in  number- 
less instances,  by  the  Protestant  Armenians,  under  the 
persecutions  brought  upon  them  by  their  ecclesiastics. 
They  would,  no  doubt,  have  been  banished,  and  even,  in 
some  instances,  put  to  death,  under  the  old  Turkish  sys- 
tem. It  seems  as  if  God,  in  his  providence,  permitted 
the  Turkish  Government  to  take  the  fatal  step  they  did, 
in  regard  to  that  Armenian  renegade,  in  order  to  call  the 
attention  of  European  governments  strongly  to  the  sub- 
ject, and  lead  them  to  procure  from  the  Sultan  such  a 
pledge  against  religious  persecution,  just  at  that  time, 
when  the  wrath  of  the  Armenian  ecclesiastics  was  about 
to  be  roused  up  against  the  true  followers  of  Christ 
among  their  flocks  ;  whom  they  "  would  have  swallowed 

24* 


282  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY, 

up  quick,"  if  they  had  had  the  same  power  as  formerly. 
The  British  Minister  himself  has  been  heard  to  express 
his  admiration  at  the  providence  of  God  in  this  thing,  and 
to  declare  that  it  was  God  alone  who  forced  this  conces- 
sion from  the  Turks. 

The  weakness  of  the  Turkish  Government,  dependent, 
as  it  is,  for  its  very  existence,  on  the  favor  and  support 
of  the  great  European  powers,  is  thus  a  prominent  cause 
(ordered  and  arranged  by  Providence)  of  protection  and 
defence  to  the  infant  churches  of  God,  in  this  land.  And 
it  should  be  particularly  remarked,  as  a  most  striking 
illustration  of  that  sacred  saying,  that  "  The  Lord  of 
Hosts  is  wonderful  in  counsel;"  that,  through  a  sort  of 
political  necessity,  not  only  France,  but  even  Russia,  was 
constrained  to  join  hands  with  England,  in  compelling 
the  Turks,  in  the  instance  referred  to,  to  admit  the  prin- 
ciple of  religious  liberty  into  their  country. 

It  is  also  a  striking  providential  fact,  which  could  not 
have  been  fifty  years  ago,  that  the  only  two  French 
newspapers  published  in  Constantinople,  which  are  under 
the  protection  of  the  Turkish  Government,  now  come 
out,  openly  and  avowedly,  in  favor  of  religious  liberty  ; 
and  they  have  repeatedly  urged  the  point  in  the  clearest 
terms,  that  all  civil  and  political  power  should  be  taken 
from  the  ecclesiastics,  and  they  be  compelled  to  confine 
themselves  solely  to  their  ecclesiastical  functions. 

Among  the  providences  of  God  in  so  timing  things  as 
to  meet  the  circumstances  of  his  people,  and  favor  the 
progress  of  the  gospel  in  this  land,  should  be  mentioned 
the  following  facts.  More  than  once,  in  the  infancy  of 
the  reformation  in  Turkey,  when  the  ecclesiastical 
powers  were  ready  to  persecute,  cruelly,  the  few  who 
had  renounced  the  errors  of  their  church,  quarrels  have 
sprung  up  in  the  midst  of  the  Armenian  community  it- 
self, which  have  completely  diverted  attention  from  the 
Protestants,  and,  for  a  time,  stayed  the  arm  of  the  perse- 
cutor. Sometimes,  the  quarrel  has  been  about  the 
Patriarch,  and  once,  at  least,  it  originated  in  a  spirit  of 
jealousy  between  the  bankers  and  tradesmen  ;  and  thus 
vvhile,  for  years,  nearly  the  whole  attention  of  the  eccle- 
siastics  and  chief  men  of  the   nation,  was  absorbed  in 


PERSECUTION  ARRESTED.  283 

these  internal  disputes,  the  work  of  God  was  quietly  and 
constantly  gaining  ground  among  the  people.  At  length, 
these  internal  troubles  were  quieted  by  the  election  to 
the  patriarchal  office,  of  an  obscure  old  bishop,  whose 
chief  recommendation  was,  that  he  was  a  man  whom  no 
party  cared  to  claim,  and  consequently,  the  only  one 
upon  whom  they  could  unite.  He  held  his  office  much 
longer  than  was  anticipated,  and  he  was  a  man  of  so 
eccentric  a  character — bordering  on  insanity — that  al- 
most no  one  dared  to  approach  him  ;  for  no  one  could 
possibly  divine,  beforehand,  how  he  would  receive  any 
proposition,  or,  whether  a  petition  presented  would  be  for 
the  honor  or  disgrace  of  him  who  offered  it.  During  his 
administration  of  two  or  more  years,  evangelical  senti- 
ments gained  a  firm  foothold  in  the  country  ;  and,  although 
there  were  many  and  powerful  enemies  of  the  truth,  who 
were  ready  to  use  all  their  influence  to  root  it  out,  yet 
the  peculiar  character  of  their  Patriarch  discouraged 
every  attempt  at  a  combined  effort  against  the  Protes- 
tants. 

Thus  the  great  persecution,  which  burst  upon  the 
heads  of  the  devoted  servants  of  God  in  Turkey,  early  in 
the  year  1846,  was  stayed,  by  a  series  of  peculiar  provi- 
dences, until  the  evangelical  party  was  sufficiently  en- 
larged and  strengthened,  and  the  principle  of  religious 
liberty  was  introduced  and  acknowledged  by  the  Turkish 
Government,  as  has  been  related.  At  the  beginning  of 
his  attempts  to  persecute,  the  Armenian  Patriarch  sent 
to  the  Porte  the  names  of  thirteen  individuals  whom  he 
considered  the  leaders  among  the  Protestants,  with  the 
request  that  they  might  be  banished.  Formerly,  such  re- 
quests were  granted  with  the  greatest  readiness,  but  now, 
the  astonished  Patriarch  received  for  answer,  that  hence- 
forth no  one  could  be  persecuted  for  religious  opinions  in 
Turkey. 

Another  striking  mark  of  the  special  providence  of 
God  in  this  movement,  is  the  fact,  that  just  before  the 
persecution  commenced,  a  change  of  ministry  took  place 
in  Turkey  ;  and  an  anti-liberal  and  anti-English  cabinet 
was  exchanged  for  one  composed  of  the  most  intelligent 
and   large-minded   men  in  the  country.     This   cabinet 


284  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

Still  remains  unchanged.  The  Grand  Vizier,  who  is  the 
leader  of  it,  has  long  stood  at  the  head  of  the  reforming 
party  in  Turkey,  and  he  is  thoroughly  opposed  to  all 
fanaticism  and"  bigotry  ;  and  the  Minister  of  Foreign 
Affairs,  who,  by  a  singular  coincidence,  is  also  the  Minis- 
ter of  Religion,  is  a  man  of  like  spirit.  Both  of  them 
have  resided  in  England,  and  other  parts  of  Europe. 

Under  the  same  general  head  with  the  foregoing,  that 
is,  the  providential  adaptation  of  things  to  meet  the 
wants  of  the  church,  the  opening  of  steam  navigation  in 
this  country  should  be  mentioned.  When  the  first  mis- 
sionaries came  here  from  America,  not  a  steamboat  was 
established  on  any  of  these  waters.  The  first  missionary 
stations  occupied  in  Turkey,  (north  of  Syria,)  were  at 
Smyrna  and  Constantinople.  Owing  to  the  current  in 
the  Dardanelles,  the  upward  passage  of  sailing  vessels, 
from  Smyrna  to  Constantinople,  was  frequently  thirty  days. 
This  was  a  serious  hindrance  to  our  communications,  and 
especially  to  the  transmission  of  the  products  of  our  press. 
The  first  steam  communication  established  in  the  country, 
was  between  these  two  cities.  Our  next  missionary  sta- 
tions were  at  Broosa  and  Trebizond,  and  in  a  short  time 
lines  of  steamers  were  placed  upon  these  routes  ;  and, 
although  many  predicted  that  they  would  not  succeed, 
they  have  become  exceedingly  profitable  concerns.  The 
line  to  Trebizond  also  connects  us  very  directly  with 
our  Oroomiah  brethren.  At  Nicomedia  and  Ada  Bazar, 
although  we  have  no  missionaries  stationed  there,  yet  the 
work  of  God  has  been  such  as  to  render  frequent  and 
easy  communication  desirable  ;  and,  behold,  a  line  of 
steamers  is  placed  there  also,  as  if  for  the  very  purpose ! 
Another  line  has,  for  some  time  past,  connected  Constan- 
tinople and  Smyrna  with  Beyroot.  In  every  instance  the 
missionary  has  gone  first,  and  after  a  necessity  has  been 
created  for  frequent  communication,  for  the  purpose  of 
forwarding  the  Lord's  work,  a  line  of  steamers  has  been 
established!  The  men  of  the  world  would  no  doubt 
smile  at  the  intimation  that  there  was  a  particular  provi- 
dence in  these  arrangements,  and  I  would  that  there 
were  more  such  faith  in  the  world  for  them  to  smile  at. 
It  is  no  doubt  true,  that  those  who  have  brought  forward 


PROVIDENTIAL    INCIDENTS.  285 

these  enterprises  thought  only  of  their  own  advantage, 
or  of  some  other  mere  worldly  end  ;  and  it  never  came 
into  their  minds  that  they  were  doing  any  thing  to  meet 
the  wants  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  this  world,  or  to 
fulfill  his  purposes.  "  They  meant  it  not  so,  neither  did 
their  hearts  think  so,"  and  yet  the  believer  in  God's 
providence,  who  knows  that  "God  worketh  all  things 
after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,"  and  that  worldly 
men,  and  even  wicked  men,  are  often  his  tools  in  carry- 
ing forward  the  purposes  of  his  kingdom,  cannot  fail  to 
trace  all  these  arrangements  directly  to  the  intervention 
of  God,  who  was  thus  providing  facilities  for  his  servants 
to  spread  far  and  wide  the  news  of  salvation.  Within 
the  same  period  of  time,  also,  have  those  more  extensive 
steam  routes  been  opened,  by  which  missionaries,  and 
friends  of  the  missionary  cause,  throughout  the  four  quar- 
ters of  the  globe,  are  now  enabled,  with  great  frequency 
and  certainty,  to  communicate  with  each  other. 

I  will  close  this  communication  with  the  statement  of 
several  facts,  illustrating  the  providence  of  God  in  taking 
care  of  his  people  in  this  land,  leaving  it  with  you  to  ar- 
range these  facts  as  best  suits  your  purpose. 

In  the  year  1845,  a  young  Armenian,  in  the  village  of 
Kurdbeleng,  who  was  led  to  receive  the  Scriptures  as 
his  only  guide,  was  cruelly  beaten,  at  the  instigation  of 
the  head  priest  of  the  church,  and  by  order  of  the  chief 
ruler  in  the  Armenian  community  of  that  place.  The 
priest  and  ruler  were  both  present  on  the  occasion,  and 
they  procured  a  Turkish  police  ofiicer  to  inflict  the 
punishment,  giving  him  rum  to  drink  that  he  might  lay 
on  the  blows  with  a  more  unmerciful  hand.  The  poor 
man  suffered  dreadfully,  having  been  beaten  with  a  heavy 
stick,  and  immediately  after  he  was  compelled  to  leave 
his  shop,  his  father's  house,  and  his  native  village,  and  to 
wander,  an  exile,  among  strangers. 

The  providence  of  God  soon  began  to  give  intimation 
that  the  rich  and  powerful  oppressor  and  persecutor  of 
his  people  was  not  to  escape  unpunished  in  this  world. 
This  ruler  began  to  be  odious  in  the  eyes  of  the  people, 
and  they  at  length  found  means  to  remove  him  from  his 


286  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

office  ;  although  their  action  was  not  at  all  connected 
with  any  religious  question  or  movement  among  them. 

The  chief  ruler  of  the  Armenians  in  Nicomedia,  who 
was  himself  a  persecutor  of  the  church,  and  a  powerful 
and  notorious  oppressor  of  the  people  in  that  part  of  the 
country,  went  in  person  to  Kurdbeleng,  and  by  his  over- 
powering influence  succeeded  in  reinstating  his  degraded 
friend,  against  the  wishes  of  the  majority  of  the  inhabit- 
ants. In  returning  home,  after  accomplishing  this  piece 
of  iniquity,  he  fell  from  his  horse,  and  fractured  his 
skull,  and  within  a  few  days,  died  a  miserable  death. 

Months  passed  away,  when,  one  day,  as  the  restored 
ruler  at  Kurdbeleng  was  sitting  in  his  own  house,  a  mus- 
ket ball  was  fired  through  the  window,  and,  entering  at 
one  of  his  eyes,  passed  through  his  head,,  and  laid  him 
dead  on  the  spot !  The  assassin  was  seized,  and  he  con- 
fessed the  deed,  but  declared  that  he  was  paid  to  perpe- 
trate it  by  an  individual  whom  he  named,  and  was  also 
urged  to  it  hy  the  same  head  priest  of  the  church,  who  had 
procured  the  cruel  heating  of  the  young  man  for  his  evan- 
gelical sentiments  !  That  priest  is  now  in  prison  awaiting 
his  trial,  as  a  murderer  ! 

But  this  is  not  the  end  of  the  story.  The  individual 
who  inherited  the  estate  and  office  of  the  Nicomedian 
ruler,  also  lent  his  influence  for  the  persecution  of  God's 
people.  Not  long  ago,  some  of  the  leading  persecutors 
from  Constantinople  were  visitors  at  his  house,  from 
which  they  set  out  in  the  night,  on  their  return  home, 
having  carelessly  left  their  lighted  pipes  in  their  bed- 
room. The  house  took  fire,  and  was  entirely  consumed, 
with  a  large  amount  of  jewels  and  other  property,  taking 
away  nearly  all  the  man  possessed,  at  a  stroke  ! 

My  other  narrative  is  of  a  different  kind,  though  not 
less  striking  as  an  illustration  of  the  wonderful  workings 
of  Divine  Providence.  In  the  year  1839,  the  reigning 
Patriarch,  Hagopas  by  name,  was  actively  engaged  in 
persecuting  the  Prosestants.  He  issued  a  thundering 
bull  against  them,  and  several  of  the  leading  men  among 
them  he  caused  to  be  banished.  While  employed  in  this 
hateful  work,  he  was  also  engaged  in  building  for  himself 
a  large  house,  with  money  procured,  as  usual,  by  exac- 


PROTESTANT    GOVERNMENTS    AND    TURKEY.  287 

tions  from  the  people.  TJiis  Jiouse  has  now  become  the 
Protestant  Chapel  in  Constantinople.  Thus,  while  with 
one  hand  he  was  persecuting  the  Protestants,  and  labor- 
ing for  their  complete  extermination  in  1839,  with  the 
other,  he  was  erecting  a  chapel  for  them  to  occupy  in 
1846;  and  it  is  the  only  building,  so  far  as  we  know,  that 
is  suitable  for  this  purpose,  and  obtainable  by  them,  in  the 
whole  of  Constantinople  proper  !  The  Patriarch  built  the 
house  for  himself  and  brother,  and  subsequently  gave  it 
to  the  latter  as  a  present.  This  brother  has  since  be- 
come a  Protestant,  and  thus  it  is  that  his  house  has  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  the  Protestant  congregation.  It  is  at 
present  hired  for  a  term  of  years,  as  a  place  of  preaching, 
and  we  doubt  not  that  it  will  be  held  for  this  purpose, 
until  the  providence  of  God  points  out  to  the  evangelical 
Armenians  a  still  more  suitable  place. 

A  circumstance  of  no  small  moment  to  those  who  love 
to  study  the  doings  of  Providence,  is,  that  within  a  few 
years  past  Protestant  governments  in  Europe  have  taken 
a  far  deeper  interest  than  ever  before,  in  the  prosperity 
of  the  Protestant  cause  in  the  world,  and  especially  in 
Turkey.  There  is  no  need  that  I  should  here  introduce 
the  question  whether  this  interest  has  always  led  them  to 
the  right  course  of  action  or  not ;  or  the  inquiry,  which 
is  still  farther  back,  how  far  governments,  as  such,  are 
called  upon  to  meddle  with  religion.  One  point  I  think 
must  be  clear  to  all,  namely,  that  the  Protestant  govern- 
ments of  the  world  have  a  right  to  use  a  moral  influence 
in  behalf  of  oppressed  and  persecuted  persons,  and  espe- 
cially Protestants,  wherever  they  are  found.  And  who 
can  fail  to  recognize  the  finder  of  God  in  it,  that  the 
cabinets  of  England  and  Prussia  have,  within  a  few 
years  past,  exhibited  an  interest  on  this  subject,  which  is 
altogether  new ;  and  I  may  add,  which  is  altogether 
timely.  Without  expressing  any  thing  to  the  detriment 
of  previous  cabinets,  and  previous  embassies,  it  is  to  us 
exceedingly  plain  in  regard  to  Turkey,  that  as  the  work 
of  God's  Spirit  has  gone  on  here,  and  the  people  of  God 
have  multiplied  in  the  land,  the  Lord  who  is  "  wonderful 
in  counsel,"  has  put  it  into  the  hearts  of  Protestant 
sovereigns  and  their  ministers,  to  sympathize  with  these 


288  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

people  in  their  trials ;  and  he  has  also  so  ordered  it,  that 
serious  minded  men,  who  feel  a  personal  interest  in  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  world,  should  be  sent  here  to  rep- 
resent their  respective  governments.  I  would,  therefore, 
here  record,  with  gratitude,  that  during  the  course  of  the 
persecutions  that  have  been  waged  here  against  the  Pro- 
testant Armenians,  not  only  have  the  British  Embassa- 
dors, His  Excellency  Sir  Stratford  Canning,  and  the  Right 
Honorable  Lord  Cowley,  who  has  occupied  his  place 
during  his  absence  in  England,  promptly  acted  in  behalf  of 
the  oppressed,  but  also  that  Mr.  Carr,  the  Minister  of  the 
United  States,  M.  Le  Coq,  the  Prussian  Minister,  and 
Count  Perponcher,  his  successor,  have  always  been  ready 
to  address  to  the  Porte  remonstrances  against  the  perse- 
cuting acts  of  the  Armenian  ecclesiastics,  based  upon  the 
promise  of  the  Sultan,  that  henceforth  there  shall  be  no 
more  religious  persecution  in  his  dominions.  Nor  must  I 
omit  to  mention  that,  while  for  a  long  course  of  years  the 
representative  of  the  Dutch  Government  here  was  a 
Roman  Catholic,  a  native  of  this  country,  during  the 
past  year.  Baron  Mollerus  has  been  sent  out  from  Hol- 
land to  fill  this  place,  he  being  not  onty  in  name  a  Protes- 
tant, but  also  evincing  a  real  interest  in  the  establishment 
and  prosperity  of  Protestantism  in  this  land. 

In  close  connection  with  this,  is  the  circumstance  that 
foreign  Protestant  residents  have  been  accumulating  here 
very  rapidly  within  these  few  years  past,  forming  a  com- 
munity of  Protestants,  highly  important  to  the  interests 
of  religion  in  the  country.  A  large  number  of  English, 
Germans  and  Americans,  have  come  out,  by  the  express 
call  of  the  Turkish  Government,  to  engage  in  its  service, 
in  the  various  departments  of  agriculture,  manufactures, 
medicine,  literary  instruction,  and  military  tactics.  Al- 
though the  individuals  filling  these  places  are  not  all 
what  they  should  be,  yet  many  of  them  would  be  an 
honor  to  any  country,  and  some  are  very  decided  re- 
ligious characters.  About  eight  miles  from  our  residence, 
an  English  colony  has  recently  grown  up,  in  connection 
with  some  iron  and  cotton  works  belonging  to  the  Govern- 
ment, and  there  will  soon  be  nearly  a  thousand  English- 
men there,  including   men,   women,   and   children.     At 


FOREIGN    PROTESTANT    RESIDENTS.  289 

present,  we  supply  them  with  regular  preaching  every 
Sabbath,  but  there  is  no  doubt  they  will,  ere  long,  have  a 
pastor  of  their  own  from  England,  and  also  a  school-mas- 
ter ;  and  the  influence  of  such  a  Protestant  colony  must 
be  very  important  in  Turkey.  A  large  woolen  factory 
has  been  established  near  Nicomedia,  and  very  providen- 
tially the  gentleman  who  was  first  called  to  take  the 
superintendence  of  it  was  an  English  Christian,  of  a  very 
decided  and  consistent  character.  He  with  his  family 
resided  in  Nicomedia  for  nearly  three  years,  during  the 
whole  of  the  persecution,  and  from  their  position  they 
were  enabled  often  to  succor  the  oppressed,  and  in 
other  ways  to  exert  a  very  happy  influence  in  that  town. 
When  the  Protestant  Armenians  there  were  driven  from 
every  other  place  of  meeting,  this  gentleman  kindly 
opened  a  room  in  his  house,  where  they  assembled,  un- 
molested, every  Sabbath.  When  the  severity  of  the 
persecution  was  passed,  he  and  his  family  were  called  to 
return  to  England,  where  they  still  remain. 

Last  of  all  I  would  mention,  among  the  providential 
circumstances  which  have  here  combined  for  the  further- 
ance of  the  gospel,  is  the  complete  cessation  of  the  plague. 
For  many  years  before  the  missionaries  came  to  this  land, 
and  for  several  years  after  their  establishment  here,  the 
plague  was  an  annual  visitor,  in  a  violent  epidemic  form, 
and  there  was  scarcely  a  month  in  which  cases  of  it  were 
not  reported.  Its  influence  on  missionary  operations 
was  disastrous  in  the  extreme.  Our  schools  had  to  be 
disbanded,  our  congregations  broken  up,  and  social  inter- 
course almost  entirely  interdicted.  For  ten  years  past, 
during  which  the  work  of  God  has  been  constantly  pros- 
pering here,  and  constant  meetings,  and  intercourse  with 
the  people  have  been  called  for,  lue  have  been  entirely 
exempt  from  this  disease  !  Not  a  single  case  has  occurred 
in  this  city,  so  far  as  our  knowledge  extends !  Truly 
"  the  Lord  of  Hosts  is  wonderful  in  counsel  and  excellent 
in  working." 

25 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


Africa,  the  land  of  paradoxes— Hope  for  Africa.  Elements  of  renovation— Anglo- 
Saxon  influence— Colonizing— The  Slave  Trade  and  Slavery— Commerce.  A  moral 
machinery— education,  the  Press,  a  preached  Gospel.  Free  Government.  African 
Education  and  Civilization  Society.    The  Arabic  Press.     African  languages. 

"  Ethiopia  shall  soon  stretch  out  her  hands  unto  God." 
Ps.  Ixviii.  31. 

Africa  next  demands  our  attention.  Though  both 
Mohammedan  and  Pagan,  it  deserves  a  separate  consider- 
ation. Ignorant,  debased,  abused,  this  continent  has 
lain,  till  quite  recently,  hopeless,  except  to  the  eye  of 
faith.  But  is  there  now  hope  for  poor  Africa  ?  Does  any 
morning  star,  any  harbinger  of  light  arise  over  that  dark 
land  ?  Yes  ;  the  angel  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to 
preach,  is  flying,  too,  over  that  dark  region,  with  healing 
in  his  wings,  distilling  blessings  over  the  land  of  Ham. 
There,  too,  the  hand  of  God  is  mightily  at  work,  laying 
tribe  after  tribe  at  the  feet  of  Christian  charity,  imploring 
the  lamp  of  life  and  the  full  horn  of  salvation. 

The  light  of  Christianity,  which,  in  the  early  ages  of 
the  church,  shone  in  Africa,  and  numbered  among  its 
disciples  some  of  her  brightest  ornaments,  long  since  set 
in  darkness;  and  long  and  deep  has  been  that  darkness. 
Africa  has  since  been  given  a  prey  to  the  fierce  rule  of 
the  Arabian  Prophet,  to  the  sottish  dominion  of  Paganism, 
and  to  the  cruel  ravages  of  the  slave  trade.  Africa  has 
been  cast  out  by  the  nations  into  outer  darkness,  beyond 
the  furthermost  verge  of  common  humanity.  But  she 
has  once  more  come  into  remembrance.  The  hand  of 
the  Lord  is  now  stretched,  out  for  her  deliverance. 

A  brief  survey  of  some  providential  movements  to- 
wards this  long  forsaken  continent,  will  verify  this  asser- 
tion.    Such  is  the  design  of  the  present  chapter. 

Africa  is  the  land  of  paradoxes,  enigmas,  mysteries. 
If  we  had  no  other  argument  to  show  that  our  earth  has 
not  yet  fulfilled  its  destinies,  and,  of  course,  is  not  ready 


ELEMENTS  OF  RENOVATION.  291 

to  be  offered,  we  would  present,  as  such  an  argument,  the 
past  and  present  condition  of  Africa.  With  all  her  vast 
natural  resources,  her  fertile  soil,  unparalleled  advantages 
for  commerce,  and  "  infinite  variety  of  physical  and 
national  character,"  she  has  remained  little  more  than  a 
blank  on  the  map  of  human  development.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  Ethiopia,  Egypt,  and  Carthage,  Africa  has 
strangely  and  mysteriously  played  no  part  in  the  history 
of  man.  "  She  has  hung  like  a  dark  cloud  upon  the 
horizon  of  history,  of  which  the  borders  only  have  been 
illuminated,  and  flung  their  splendors  upon  the  world." 
Yet  to  the  philosophic  historian,  there  has  been  acting  on 
that  theatre  a  drama  of  no  common  interest.  The  great 
Architect  has  been  pleased  to  make  Africa  the  theatre  on 
which  to  exhibit  the  extremes  of  human  elevation  and 
depression,  of  natural  beauty  and  deformity,  of  fertility 
and  barrenness,  of  high  mountains  and  boundless  deserts, 
of  burning  sands  and  eternal  snows. 

Africa  has  furnished  some  of  the  noblest  specimens  of 
humanity — plants  of  renown,  delightful  examples  of  civil- 
ization, refinement,  and  advancement  in  the  arts  and 
sciences ;  in  literature  and  religion ;  in  civil  liberty  and 
free  government.  And  the  same  soil,  too,  has  been  loath- 
somely prolific  in  ignorance,  barbarism,  superstition,  op- 
pression and  despotism.  There  some  of  the  fairest  por- 
tions of  the  globe  have,  for  three  thousand  years,  "  been 
stained  with  blood  and  unrevenged  wrong ;  overhung 
with  gloom  and  every  form  of  human  woe  and  human 
guilt." 

But  there  is  hope  for  Africa.  The  Hand  that  is  mov- 
ing the  world  is  at  work  in  the  land  of  Ham.  We  are 
able  there  to  trace  the  same  felicitous  combination  of 
circumstances,  preparing  Africa  on  the  one  hand  for  her 
regeneration,  and  on  the  other,  providing  facilities  and 
resources  for  the  work.  Nearly  co-existent  with  the 
birth  of  modern  benevolent  action  in  England  and 
America,  there  commenced  a  train  of  providences  in 
Africa,  and  in  respect  to  Africa,  worthy  of  special  re- 
mark. The  first  love  and  the  first  sacrifice  of  the  Ameri- 
can church  was  given  to  Africa.  The  darling  object  of 
Samuel  J.  Mills,  who  was,  more  than  any  other  man,  the 


292  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

father  of  benevolent  enterprise  in  America,  (the  object 
for  which  he  seems  to  have  been  especially  raised  up,) 
was  the  melioration  of  the  condition  of  Africa.  The 
civil,  moral  and  spiritual  degradation  of  that  benighted 
land,  lav  with  continual  weight  on  his  mind.  Through 
his  instrumentality,  a  seminary  for  the  education  of  young 
men  of  color,  with  a  view  to  their  becoming  missionaries 
in  their  father-land,  was  established,  and  went  into  opera- 
tion under  a  Board  of  Directors  appointed  by  the  Synod 
of  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  with  Mills  for  their  agent. 
The  last  months  of  the  life  of  this  devoted  man  were 
spent  on  an  exploring  tour  on  the  Western  coast  of 
Africa ;  the  last  energies  of  his  great  and  comprehensive 
mind,  and  the  best  affections  of  his  big  heart,  were  de- 
voted to  that  long  neglected  land.  Yet  some  years 
before  Mills  explored  the  wastes  of  Western  Africa,  Eu- 
ropean Christians  had  begun  their  work  in  South  Africa. 

Our  business  at  present  is  with  the  Hand  of  God,  that 
has  opened  the  door  to  this  great  field,  and  is  now  hold- 
ing out  the  promise  of  a  great  and  no  distant  harvest. 

1.  We  see  the  Hand  of  God  auspiciously  at  work  for 
Africa,  in  the  introduction  and  increase  on  that  con- 
tinent of  Anglo-Saxon  poiver  and  influence.  We  have 
seen,  the  world  over,  that  this  is  a  signal  of  advancement 
among  barbarous  nations.  It  is  the  lifting  up  of  the  dark 
cloud  of  ignorance  and  superstition,  that  light  and  truth 
may  enter.  It  is  the  harbinger  of  the  gospel ;  it  prepares 
the  way,  and  protects  the  evangelical  laborer,  and  fur- 
nishes facilities  and  resources  for  the  work. 

Such  a  power  and  influence  is  now  begirting  Africa, 
and  is  waxing  stronger  every  year.  At  Sierra  Leone, 
Cape  Palmas,  Liberia  and  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  the 
Anglo-Saxon  element  is  taking  deep  root,  and  its  widely 
extending  branches  are  overshadowing  large  portions  of 
those  domains  of  darkness,  and  dropping  over  them 
golden  fruits.  In  this  we  discover  a  divine  presage,  that 
the  time  to  favor  this  long  abused,  ill-fated  continent,  is 
at  hand.  We  hazard  no  conjecture  as  to  the  ultimate 
destiny  of  England  or  America,  but  we  cannot  be  mis- 
taken that  Anglo- Saxondom  is  nov/  being  used  as  the 
right  hand  of  Providence,  to  civilize,  enlighten  and  Chris- 


PRESENT  PLAN   OF  COLONIZATION.  293 

tianize  the  Pagan  world.  Whatever  may  be  the  motives 
of  England  in  extending  her  empire  over  Asia  and  Africa, 
or  of  America  in  making  her  power  felt,  and  extending 
her  commerce,  it  is  not  difficult  to  see  what  God  is 
bringing  out  of  such  extensions  of  dominion  and  power. 
But  for  British  power  and  British  sympathy,  under  the 
favor  of  Heaven,  Africa,  with  scarcely  an  exception, 
might,  to  the  present  day,  have  had  the  "  tri-colored  flag 
waving  on  her  bosom,  bearing  the  ensigns  of  the  mystery 
of  Babylon,  the  crescent  of  the  false  Prophet  and  the  em- 
blems of  Pagan  darkness,  from  the  shores  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean to  the  colony  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope." 

2.  Another  providential  feature  of  a  kindred  charac- 
ter, is  the  present  plan  of  colonizing  on  the  coasts  of 
Africa.  The  influence  of  colonies  is  not  now  a  matter 
of  theory  but  of  experience.  Carthage  was  a  colony  ; 
the  wealth,  power,  civilization  and  magnificence  of  that 
ancient  kingdom,  was  not  an  indigenous  growth  of  an 
African  soil.  It  was  an  exotic,  transplanted  thither,  and 
there  made  to  flourish  till  it  spread  its  branches  far  into 
the  interior,  and  covered  many  tribes  and  nations  with 
its  shadow. 

What  we  are  concerned  with  here,  is  the  influence  of 
the  introduction  into  a  Pagan  country  of  an  enlightened, 
civilized,  thrifty,  foreign  population.  They  furnish,  first, 
a  tangible,  living  example  of  what  skill,  industry  and  in- 
telligence can  do.  And  as  the  superior  and  inferior 
classes  mingle  together,  this  skill  and  industry  will  be 
communicated  and  received.  It  will  provoke  to  imita- 
tion ;  and  the  advantages  on  the  part  of  the  inferior  class 
are  immense — immense  before  we  admit  into  the  account 
the  moral  element,  which  we  shall  see  enters  largely  into 
all  modern  systems  of  colonizing. 

The  Carthaginians  too  well  understood  the  power  of  a 
colonizing  policy,  not  to  prosecute  it  to  the  extending  of 
their  empire,  which,  in  turn,  became  a  vast  benefit  to 
the  adjacent  tribes  and  nations  of  native  Africans.  Most 
ancient  historians  have  noticed  this  admirable  policy  of 
the  Carthaginians  :  "  It  is  this  way,"  says  Aristotle, 
"  Carthage  preserves  the  love  of  her  people.  She  sends 
out  colonies  continually,  composed  of  her  citizens,  into 

25* 


294  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

the  districts  around  her,  and  by  that  means  makes  them 
men  of  property ;  assists  the  poor  by  accustoming  them 
to  labor."  The  natives  gradually  intermingled  with  the 
colonists,  and  formed  the  strength  of  the  Carthaginian 
state.  Herodotus  affirms  that,  beyond  the  dominions  of 
the  Carthaginian  empire,  no  people  could  be  found  in 
settled  habitations,  and  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits. 
But  no  sooner  did  these  same  nomadic  tribes  fall  beneath 
the  transforming  process  of  Carthaginian  colonization, 
than  they  became  civilized,  enlightened  and  compara- 
tively refined,  and  were  found  engaged  in  "  the  peaceful 
occupations  of  the  field."  As  examples  of  this,  another 
ancient  historian  (Scylax)  describes  the  country  around 
the  lesser  Syrtis  and  Triton  Lake,  as  "magnificently 
fruitful,"  abounding  in  tall,  fine  cattle,  and  the  inhabitants 
distinguished  for  wealth  and  beauty.  Another  region, 
according  to  Strabo,  between  two  and  three  hundred 
miles  in  length,  extending  southward  from  Cape  Bon,  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  width,  was  also  distin- 
guished for  its  fertility  and  high  cultivation.  It  embraced 
the  most  flourishing  sea-ports,  and  was  crowned  with 
agricultural  settlements. 

Such  was  the  transforming  power  of  ancient  coloniza- 
tion in  Africa — a  colonization  confessedly  deficient  in 
some  of  the  most  powerful  elements  which  enter  into 
modern  schemes  of  colonizing.  For  of  all  the  transform- 
ing elements  ever  thrown  into  the  confused  mass  of  Pa- 
ganism, Christianity  is  the  most  powerful.  Civil  and 
religious  liberty  is  another  mighty  element ;  speculative 
science,  another ;  and  practical  science,  yet  another. 
The  first  and  the  mightiest  of  these,  was  entirely  want- 
ing in  the  colonizations  of  Carthage,  and  the  others 
scarcely  entered  into  the  account. 

What,  then,  may  w^e  reasonably  expect  as  the  fruit  of 
modern  colonization  ?  The  hand  of  the  Lord  is  in  it. 
The  two  great  Protestant  nations,  whose  language,  litera- 
ture and  science,  contain  nearly  all  the  truth  there  is  in 
the  world,  and  whose  churches  nearly  all  the  religion, 
and  whose  religion  nearly  all  the  benevolence,  and  whose 
governments  nearly  all  the  freedom,  have,  in  the  won- 
drous workings  of  Providence,  been  moved  to  colonize  in 


ENGLISH  AND  AMERICAN  COLONIES.  295 

Africa.  The  English  have  colonies  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and  in  other  portions  of  South  Africa;  on  the 
Senegal  and  the  Gambia  ;  at  Sierra  Leone  and  Cape  Coast 
Castle  ;  and  they  are  beginning  to  occupy  the  mouths  of 
the  Niger.  And  there  are  American  colonies  (now  an 
independent  government,)  at  Liberia  and  Cape  Palmas. 
And  these  colonies  are  very  much  under  the  auspices  of 
religious  and  philanthropic  influences.  Now,  with  the 
example  of  Carthage  before  us,  what  have  we  reason  to 
expect  their  influence  will  be  on  Africa  ?  Certainly 
nothing  less  than  that  they  shall  furnish  tangible  illustra- 
tions of  the  religion,  the  skill,  industry  and  enterprise  of 
the  people  there  colonized  ;  exhibiting  the  advantages 
of  science,  of  improvement  in  the  arts  and  in  agriculture, 
and  of  a  well  ordered  government ;  that  they  shall  con- 
tinue to  extend  their  commerce  and  other  benefits  gained, 
back  into  the  interior,  constantly  reaching  their  arms 
abroad  and  gathering  tribe  after  tribe  within  the  pale  of 
their  influence.  Agriculture  will  be  encouraged ;  a 
market  opened  for  its  avails  ;  the  slave  trade  thereby  be 
effectually  discouraged  ;  savage  life  be  abandoned,  and 
the  way  for  the  gospel  and  all  its  concomitant  blessings 
be  opened.  The  colonist  will  be  seen  to  possess  almost 
every  advantage  over  the  native,  and  the  latter  can 
scarcely  do  otherwise  than  to  fall  in  with  the  new  order 
of  things  in  proportion  as  he  comes  in  contact  with  the 
colony. 

Experience  gives  no  hope  of  success  in  efforts  to 
evangelize  Africa,  except  through  Christian  colonies. 
The  Moravians,  who  have  yielded  to  no  obstacles,  either 
amidst  the  snows  of  the  poles  or  the  burning  heats  of  the 
equator,  or  from  the  wrath  of  man,  or  the  elements,  failed 
in  Africa.  "  Attempts  at  sixteen  different  points,  made 
with  the  heroism  of  martyrs,  to  establish  schools  and  mis- 
sions, they  have  been  forced  to  abandon,  and  to  retire 
within  the  protection  of  the  British  colonies.  And  they 
now  despair  of  every  process,  but  that  of  commencing  at 
these  radiating  points,  and  proceeding  gradually  out- 
wards until  the  work  is  done." 

But  there  is  one  peculiar  feature  in  the  colonization 
now  going  forward  in  Western  Africa,  more  strikingly 


296  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

providential  and  more  potent  in  its  bearings  on  the  na- 
tives than  perhaps  has  been  well  understood.  I  mean 
the  fact  that  the  colonists  are  of  the  same  race  or  species, 
as  the  natives  among  whom  they  are  colonized.  Any 
one  acquainted  with  the  habits  and  modes  of  reasoning 
which  prevail  on  this  subject  among  rude  barbarians, 
must  know  that  their  habits  of  generalization  are  very 
imperfect.  They  have  no  idea  that  all  men  are  of  "  one 
blood" — the  same  order  of  beings — and  that  what  is  true 
of  one  people  may,  under  similar  circumstances,  become 
true  of  another.  You  may  place  by  the  side  of  a  tribe 
of  native  negroes,  or  native  Hindoos,  a  colony  of  white 
men  and  women,  well  educated,  well  bred,  industrious, 
intelligent,  thrifty,  moral  and  religious,  who  have,  in 
every  thing,  made  decided  advances  beyond  the  barbar- 
ous condition  of  man,  having  convincingly  demonstrated 
the  capability  and  improvability  of  man,  and  yet,  in 
theory,  it  will  exert  no  influence  on  the  barbarous  tribe, 
and  in  practice,  but  a  very  slow  and  partial  influence. 
And  why  not  ?  Simply  because  the  barbarian  sees  the 
development  (which  he  may  admire  and  wish  he  could 
imitate,)  made  in  what  he  believes  to  be  another  order 
of  beings.  He  does  not  believe  it  imitable  by  himself  or 
his  people.  It  is  a  development  in  the  white  man's  na- 
ture, not  in  his. 

But  no  such  difliculty  impedes  the  progress  of  improve- 
ment in  Africa.  The  native  Ashantee  or  Foulah,  re- 
cognizes, in  the  improved  condition  and  character  of  the 
colonist,  his  own  flesh  and  blood,  his  own  color  and 
species  ;  and  he  no  longer  doubts  the  improvability  of 
his  own  tribe. 

3.  But  the  thought  may  be  allowed  to  assume  another 
shape,  and  we  shall  have  no  less  occasion  to  admire  the 
wonder-working  Hand. 

Cordially  as  every  good  man  is  bound  by  conscience 
and  by  God,  to  detest  and  abhor  from  the  innermost  re- 
cesses of  his  soul,  the  slave  trade  and  a  wicked  system 
of  slavery,  he  must  admire  that  gracious  Hand  in  so  con- 
trolhng  even  man's  bitterest  wrongs,  as  to  educe  from 
them  a  lasting  and  general  good.  If  God  did  not  bring 
good  out  of  evil,  and  praise  out  of  man's  wrath,  how  httle 


THE  SLAVE  TRADE  AND  SLAVERY.  297 

good  would  come  of  this  poor  world — how  little  praise 
accrue  to  his  name. 

The  slave  trade  and  slavery  are  giant  wrongs — mon- 
strous sins  ;  but  let  us  see  what  God  is  bringing  out  of 
them.  Thousands  of  wretched  beings  are  yearly  forced 
away  from  their  homes,  amidst  shrieks,  and  conflagrations^ 
and  blood  ;  submitted  to  the  horrors  and  deaths  of  the 
middle  passage ;  reduced  to  bondage  cruel  as  death ; 
awful  is  the  sacrifice  of  liberty,  happiness  and  life  ;  of 
every  thing  worth  possessing  ;  yet,  from  this  dark  and 
troubled  ocean  of  sin,  He,  whose  ways  are  not  as  our 
ways,  deduces  a  great  and  lasting  good.  These  wretched 
victims  of  man's  avarice  and  cruelty,  were  benighted 
Pagans.  Their  land  was  the  region  and  shadow  of 
death — the  habitations  of  cruelty.  They  were  brought 
to  a  Christian  land.  In  th«  durance  vile,  as  they  toil  out 
their  wearisome  years,  many  come  in  contact  with  the 
benign  influences  of  Christianity.  To  the  poor  the  gos- 
pel is  preached.  This  angel  of  mercy  meets  them  in 
their  wearisome  pilgrimage,  sheds  light  about  their 
gloomy  path,  and  brings  rest  and  peace  to  many  a  weary 
and  heavy  laden  soul.  Many  become  Christians,  and 
many  more,  in  spite  of  the  mountain-burdens  which 
crush  them  to  the  earth,  rise  far  above  their  original  con- 
dition in  their  native  land.  Thus  God,  in  the  hot  furnace 
of  affliction,  and  in  defiance  of  all  human  wrong,  pre- 
pares his  materials  for  the  regeneration  of  Africa.  Thou- 
sands thus  fitted,  return  to  the  land  of  their  fathers,  to 
teach  and  exemplify  a  pure  Christianity  ;  to  encourage 
industry,  agriculture  and  learning  among  the  natives ; 
to  create  a  market  for  the  products  of  honest  indus- 
try, and  thereby  to  remove  one  of  the  strongest  induce- 
ments to  the  slave  trade ;  to  exhibit  the  advantages  of  a 
settled  life,  and  of  an  organized  government,  and  to  in- 
close within  the  arms  of  civiHzation  and  Christianity, 
tribe  after  tribe  in  the  interior ;  and  by  these  several 
means,  to  extinguish,  most  effectually,  slavery  and  the 
slave  trade. 

It  is,  again,  through  the  wrongs  inflicted  on  Africa, 
that  she  has  been  brought  to  the  distinct  and  favorable 
notice  of  the  whole  Christian  world,  and  been  able  to 


298  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY, 

enlist  its  profoundest  sympathies  and  prompt  compassion. 
The  heart  of  Christendom  yearns  for  poor,  bleeding 
Africa,  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  expect  that  her  emanci- 
pation, and  freedom,  and  evangelization,  will  become  ob- 
jects of  intense  interest  to  all  philanthropists  and  Chris^ 
tians.  Recent  movements  of  Providence  favor  such  an 
expectation.* 

But  here  we  shall  need  to  look  for  a  few  moments  in 
another  direction,  that  we  may  the  better  comprehend 
what  God  is  working  out  for  Africa.  It  is  always  de- 
lightful to  observe  the  timings  of  Providence — ^how  one 
thing  is  made  to  answer  to  another.  With  one  hand, 
God'is  preparing  Africa  to  receive  the  richest  of  Heav- 
en's blessings ;  with  the  other,  he  is  preparing  the  mate- 
rials and  instruments  by  which  to  carry  forward  the 
ameliorating  process.  And,  at  the  same  .  time,  he  is 
arousing  the  energies  of  philanthropists  and  Christians, 
to  enter  the  field  now  ripe  for  the  harvest. 

During  the  last  twenty  years,  changes  have  been  taking 
place  in  the  slave-holding  portion  of  our  country,  in  refer- 
ence to  slavery  and  the  enslaved,  which  augurs  well  for 
the  work  of  emancipation  at  no  very  distant  day.  Pub- 
lic sentiment  has  changed.  Slavery  is  now  very  exten- 
sively regarded  as  a  public  burden — an  evil.  The  colored 
man  is  no  longer  regarded  as  incapable  of  holding  sta- 
tions, and  pursuing  occupations  like  white  men  ;  the  laws 
which  prohibited  the  education  of  slaves,  have,  to  a  great 


'  With  many  good  people  it  has  been  a  subject  of  profound  re^et  and  lamentation, 
that  the  work  of  emancipation  in  our  country  should  be  retarded,  and  the  cause  of 
African  colonization  be  maligned  and  hindered  by  the  strange  fanaticism  of  a  large 
classof  the  professed  friends  of  the  slave.  Why  this  seeming  disaster  7  The  marvel 
will  cease  as  we  look  towards  the  end.  Had  the  states  of  Delaware,  Maryland,  Vir- 
ginia and  Kentucky,  freed  their  slaves,  as  in  all  probability  they  would  but  for  the  in- 
ludicious  and  provoking  agitation  of  northern  abolitionism,  our  African  colonies  would 
nave  been  inundated  by  a  multitude  of  emancipated  negroes  but  il]-prepared  for  self- 
government,  and  before  the  colonies  themselves  had  become  so  established,  and  their 
principles  so  matured,  that  they  should  not  be  overwhelmed  in  the  moral  siroccos  of 
Africa — amalgamated  in  the  heathen  tribes  about  them.  Abolitionism  came  in  to  re- 
lard  a  ruinous  pro.sperity.  A  government  is  now  established  which  is  in  the  hands  of 
colored  men,  who  have  managed  their  own  atfairs  nntil  they  have  satisfied  themselves 
and  the  world  of  their  ability  for  republican  government.  "  Schools  and  churches,  and 
their  necessary  organizations,  have  been  operating  for  years.  Society  in  all  its  great 
departments  is  organized,  opinions  formed  and  principles  established.''  And  the  way 
is  now  prepared  for  emancipation  and  colonization  to  go  on,  hand  in  hand,  to  almost 
any  conceivable  extent.  What  would  have  been  the  result  of  our  experiment  at  self- 
government  and  religious  freedom,  had  the  pi-esent  immense  accessions  of  European 
f copulation  poured  in  upon  us  fifty  years  ago,  while  our  institutions  were  yet  in  their 
nfancy  1 


CHANGES   IN   PUBLIC  SENTIMENT.  299 

extent,  become  a  dead  letter ;  and  the  idea  that  slavery 
is  a  necessary  institution  at  the  south,  because  white  men 
cannot  labor  in  that  climate,  is  quite  exploded  by  the  late 
immigration  into  that  part  of  the  country,  of  Irishmen  and 
Germans,  who  have  extensively  become  laborers  there. 
Slave-labor  is  every  year  becoming  less  and  less  valua- 
ble ;  and,  of  consequence,  self-interest  is  fast  eradicating 
the  evil. 

Such  changes  have  not  only  done  much  to  facilitate 
emancipation,  but  to  prepare  a  great  multitude  to  emi- 
grate to  Africa,  and  to  be  useful  citizens  there :  school- 
masters, preachers,  statesmen,  and  useful  members  of  so- 
ciety in  every  rank  of  life.  In  no  respect,  perhaps,  do 
we  more  clearly  discern  the  hand  of  God,  than  in  the  late 
educational  and  religious  movements  among  the  slaves. 
God  has  wonderfully  vouchsafed  his  spirit  to  this  ill-fated 
class  of  our  countrymen.  To  the  poor  the  gospel  has 
been  preached,  and  they  have  received  it  gladly.  "  In  no 
period  since  the  existence  of  slavery,"  says  an  intelligent 
writer,  "  has  there  been  such  attention  paid  to  the  reli- 
gious instruction  of  the  slaves,  as  in  the  last  ten  years ; 
and  in  no  part  of  the  world  have  there  been  gathered 
richer  fruits  to  encourage  the  laborer."  "  It  is  truly  sur- 
prising and  cheering  to  witness  the  almost  universal  feel- 
ing and  interest  on  this  subject,  and  the  extent  to  which 
they  have  carried  out  their  plans,  in  establishing  schools 
and  churches,  and  obtaining  missionaries  and  teachers 
for  the  sole  benefit  of  the  colored  people.  Some  of  the 
church  edifices,  which  are  neat  and  costly,  are  owned  by 
the  slaves  themselves,  with  regular  organized  churches, 
and  large,  orderly  congregations,  where  they  enact  their 
own  laws,  manage  their  own  finances,  and  take  up  col- 
lections for  benevolent  purposes.  Some  of  their  churches 
are  large,  numbering  from  one  to  two  thousand  commu- 
nicants." 

And  in  connection  with  these  churches,  you  may  meet 
Sabbath-schools  of  from  one  to  two  hundred  children, 
who  are  faithfully  taught  the  Bible — and  there,  the  Chris- 
tian mistress,  sitting  in  the  school-room  from  morning  till 
night,  spending  her  strength  in  teaching  her  young  slaves, 
and  endeavoring  to  prepare  them  for  the  enjoyment  of 


300  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

freedom;  and  this,  month  after  month;  Hving  among 
them,  not  of  choice,  but  because  she  "  dares  not  run  away 
from  a  duty  which  she  feels  God,  in  his  mysterious  prov- 
idence has  imposed  upon  her."  Says  another  lady,  "I 
am  living  here  an  exile  from  my  home,  on  account  of  my 
slaves,  which  have  been  entailed  upon  me,  and  which  I 
cannot  part  with,  for  they  will  not  consent  to  be  sepa-. 
rated  from  me." 

The  truth  is,  the  more  intelligent  and  better  class  of 
people  at  the  south  regard  slavery  as  a  "  moral  and  pe- 
cuniary evil,"  and  contemplate  the  certainty  of  abolition, 
and  the  importance  of  educating  the  mind  and  elevating 
the  character,  and  preparing  the  slave  for  that  liberty 
which  they  feel  sure  God  designs  him  one  day  to  enjoy. 
Such  are  topics  of  not  unfrequent  discussion  at  the 
south.* 

But  I  am  unwilling  to  dismiss  this  topic  here.  The 
south  is  now  furnishing  delightful  indications  that  God  is 
there  preparing  a  multitude  of  men  and  women  for  the 
high  responsibilities  of  their  future  destiny,  when  the  time 
shall  come  for  their  removal  to  the  land  of  their  fathers ; 
that  they  may  go  thither,  instructed  in  the  principles  of 
our  blessed  religion  and  of  civil  liberty,  to  be  instruments 
of  inestimable  good  to  an  ignorant,  degraded  and  barbar- 
ous continent.  The  intelligent  writer  already  quoted, 
describes  another  scene  which  fell  under  his  observation, 
too  fitly  illustrating  the  point  in  hand,  not  to  be  tran- 
scribed at  length.  Few  at  the  north  may  be  fully  aware 
that  such  things  are  to  be  met  with  on  slave-holding  ter- 
ritory. Every  Christian  and  philanthropist  will  rejoice, 
and  see  therein  the  good  hand  of  the  Lord  in  the  execu- 
tion of  his  benevolent  purposes  towards  Africa. 

Having  attended,  by  invitation,  public  worship  on  the 
premises  of  a  wealthy  slave-holder,  in  a  "commodious 
brick  church,  erected  exclusively  for  the  accommodation 
of  his  colored  people,"  where  he  met  a  "most  orderly, 
well-dressed,  well-behaved  congregation,"  and  a  slave  in 
the  pulpit,  who  delivered  a  "  most  sensible,  appropriate 
sermon,"     Mr.  Sawtell,  on  returning  to  the  house,  took 

•  Rev.  E.  W.  Sawtell,  in  the  New  York  Observer,  April,  1847. 


EDUCATION   AND  THE  PRESS.  301 

the  occasion  to  learn  more  of  this  gentleman's  views  on 
the  "  subject  of  preparing  his  servants  for  liberty  in  this 
world,  and  happiness  in  the  next." 

"  Why,"  said  he,  "  we  must  educate  them ;  we  owe  it 
to  our  slaves,  and  now  we  have  the  power  to  do  it.  We 
must  instruct  them  in  the  Christian  religion,  in  the  me- 
chanic arts,  in  the  principles  of  free  government,  or  their 
freedom  w^ould  prove  a  curse  instead  of  a  blessing. 

"  I  speak  not,"  said  he,  "  theoretically,  but  from  expe- 
rience. I  have  already  educated  about  one  hundred  of 
mine,  who  have,  of  their  own  choice,  gone  to  Liberia ; 
some  of  them  are  merchants,  some  farmers,  and  others 
mechanics.  I  gave  two  of  them  a  collegiate  education, 
and  the  rest  I  educated  myself;  and  I  have  the  satisfac- 
tion of  knowing  that  they  are  all  doing  well,  are  useful 
and  happy.  One  of  them  is  a  missionary,  and  he  writes 
me  that  he  has  nearly  two  hundred  native  African  chil- 
dren in  his  school ;  teaching  them  our  language,  our  reli- 
gion, and  our  laws  ;  and  that  you  may  see  for  yourselves, 
read  these  letters."  Here  he  handed  a  number  of  letters 
received  from  the  colony  of  Liberia,  from  those  that  were 
once  his  own  ignorant  slaves ;  and,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
elegance  of  diction  and  penmanship,  they  were  so  filled 
with  expressions  of  joy  and  rejoicing,  of  love  and  grati- 
tude to  their  master,  as  to  make  it  utterly  impossible  to 
read  them  without  weeping — addressing  him  by  such  en- 
dearing appellations  as,  "dear  father,"  "dear  parent," 
"  dear  benefactor,"  and  declaring  at  the  close,  that  they 
had  but  one  single  wish  for  ever  visiting  the  United 
States  again,  and  that  was,  "  that  they  might  see,  once 
more,  their  dear  old  father  before  he  died."  "Now," 
said  this  old  gentleman,  "  this  is  my  idea  of  our  duty  and 
obligation  to  the  slaves,  and  of  God's  purposes  in  sending 
them  here,  and  what  I  have  done  for  those  in  Liberia,  I 
am  going  to  do  for  all." 

On  asking  him  how  he  managed  to  teach  so  many  him- 
self, he  replied,  "  I  have  them  divided  into  four  classes : 
at  daylight,  on  Sabbath  morning,  1  call  the  first  class, 
and  drill  them  in  reading  and  spelling,  till  breakfast.  Af- 
ter breakfast,  the  second  class  is  called,  and  they  go 
through  the  shorter  catechism  and  the  ten  command- 

26 


302  HAND  OF  GUD  IN   lIlriTORV. 

ments.  Then  comes  the  hour  for  pubhc  worship,  when 
one  of  the  servants,  who  is  a  minister,  becomes  the 
teacher,  and  I  the  learner.  After  public  service,  the 
other  two  classes,  more  advanced,  are  carried  through 
their  respective  lessons  in  the  same  way  as  those  in  the 
morning.  This  is  the  way  I  spend  all  my  Sabbaths  ;  nor 
do  I  suffer  any  intrusion  from  my  neighbors,  unless  it  be 
one  who  is  desirous  of  learning  the  art  of  doing  good,  and 
of  training  up  his  slaves  for  the  high  purposes  and  destiny 
for  which  God  designs  them." 

But  another  peculiarity  in  this  man's  system  of  train- 
ing his  slaves  for  freemen  is,  that  he  allows  of  no  arbi- 
trary control  or  punishment.  In  fact,  his  slaves  are  or- 
ganized into  a  perfect  republic,  possessing  all  the  ele- 
ments of  a  free,  legislative  government.  Their  trials  for 
any  misdemeanor  or  crime,  are  by  jury,  witnesses  ex- 
amined, and  special  pleadings,  with  all  the  solemnities  of 
a  court.  In  important  and  difficult  cases,  the  old  master 
is  sometimes  called  in  to  preside  as  judge,  and  decide 
upon  some  difficult  points  of  law ;  but  the  verdict,  the 
sentence,  and  its  execution,  are  all  in  their  own  hands. 

Thus  it  is  in  this  way  they  are  learning  important  and 
practical  lessons  in  the  principles  of  civil  polity  and  juris- 
prudence. And  if  we  ask  this  benevolent  man  for  his 
motive  in  all  this,  his  answer  is  worthy  of  being  recorded 
in  golden  capitals.  "  Why,"  said  he,  "  intelligence,  vir- 
tue and  religion  constitute  the  only  sure  basis  of  a  repub- 
lic. I  believe  Africa  is  to  be  a  republic,  and  receive  our 
language,  laws  and  institutions ;  and  I  believe  the  cupid- 
ity of  England,  in  first  introducing  slaves  upon  this  con- 
tinent, is  to  be  overruled  for  the  furtherance  of  this  cause, 
and  so  many  of  these  instruments  as  God  in  his  provi- 
dence has  placed  in  my  hands,  I  want  to  prepare  and  get 
them  ready  to  meet  their  high  responsibilities  when  the 
time  for  action  shall  come." 

And  so  believe  I.  Monstrous  as  the  curse  of  slavery 
is,  disgraceful  as  it  is  to  our  country,  and  cruel  as  are  the 
dark  deeds  of  those  who  perpetrate  this  wrong  on  human- 
ity, God  seems  likely  to  overrule  it  for  a  great  and  gen- 
eral good,  and  by  means  the  most  unexpected.  Slave- 
holders are  softened  into  pity  towards  their  helpless  vas- 


COMMERCE  OF  AFfvlCA.  303 

sals,  and  have  set  themselves  to  prepare  them  for  liberty  ; 
slave-traders,  (as  the  gentleman  just  referred  to  once  was,) 
have  personally  become  their  teachers  and  nursing  fa- 
thers ;  famine,  pestilence  and  oppression  in  the  old  world, 
have  driven  the  vassals  of  Europe  to  this  new  world,  to 
do  the  work  now  done  by  the  African,  and  thereby  to  re- 
move the  supposed  necessity  of  slavery  ;  and  many  other 
like  providential  interpositions  combine  to  fit  a  great  mul- 
titude of  the  colored  race  in  America  to  go  forth  and 
bless  the  dark  continent  of  Africa.  God's  thoughts  are 
not  as  our  thoughts,  nor  his  ways  as  our  ways. 

The  south  possesses  the  grand  lever  for  raising  Africa. 
*'  Let  the  foot  of  it  be  placed  at  Liberia ;  let  Christian 
patriots  and  philanthropists  throw  their  weight  upon  this 
end  of  it,  making  the  Bible  the  fulcrum,  and  ere  long  Af- 
rica, with  her  sable  millions,  will  be  seen  emerging  from 
the  long  night  of  cruel  tyranny  and  barbarism,  into  the 
pure  sunlight  of  civilization,  with  her  churches  and 
schools,  her  colleges  and  legislative  halls,  her  poets  and 
orators,  her  statesmen  and  rulers,  taking  their  position 
among  the  enlightened  and  civilized  nations  of  the  earth. 
The  Lord  hasten  it  in  his  time,  and  to  him  be  the  glory." 

4.  There  is  another  point  from  which  we  must  con- 
template the  same  mighty  Hand.  It  is  in  respect  to 
commerce ;  a  kindred  feature  with  one  already  named. 
Commerce  and  the  colony  are  working  together,  and 
much  in  the  same  way.  A  legitimate  commerce  is  God's 
instrument  for  the  civilization  of  the  world,  and  the  chan- 
nel through  which  he  brings  about  its  evangelization.  It 
was  commerce  which  gave  to  ancient  states  their  re- 
nown, and  laid  the  foundation  of  their  greatness.  Com- 
merce was  the  "  parent  and  nurse"  of  civilization  and  the 
arts  in  Carthage,  in  Egypt  and  Meroe. 

Africa  has  long  been  without  a  legitimate  commerce  ; 
and  now  that  its  white  wings,  in  the  revolving  wheels  of 
Providence,  are  being  spread  over  her,  we  may  take  it  as 
a  token  for  good.  This,  in  connection  with  the  colo- 
nizing policy,  will  do  more  to  annihilate  the  slave  trade 
than  all  that  can  possibly  be  effected  by  the  combined 
navies  of  Great  Britain  and  America.  Africa  has  had 
wants  to  be  supplied  by  foreign  nations,  but  with  her 


304  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

past  habits  she  has  had  nothing  to  give  in  exchange  for 
needed  suppHes,  except  the  flesh  and  blood  of  her  own 
sons  and  daughters.  She  is  now  learning  from  Christian 
colonists  the  worth  of  the  exhaustless  resources  of  her 
soil,  her  forests  and  her  mountains,  and  the  yet  less  de- 
veloped resources  of  her  own  industry.  And  we  cannot 
doubt,  when  she  shall  have  time  to  accept  the  substitute 
which  commerce  offers,  she  will  sooner  take  the  calicoes 
and  trinkets,  and  w^hatever  else  she  may  need,  in  ex- 
change for  her  cotton,  sugar,  rice,  grain,  gums,  and  gold, 
than  for  the  bones  and  sinews  of  her  children. 

"  The  emancipation  of  Africa,"  says  one,  "  can  be  ef- 
fected only  from  within  herself.  Her  nations  must  be 
raised  to  that  moral  and  political  power,  which  shall  com- 
bine them  in  firm  resistance  against  oppression.  To  do 
this,  the  chief  points  of  covimercial  influence  upon  the 
coast,  and  of  access  to  the  interior,  must  be  occupied  by 
strong  and  well  regulated  colonies,  from  which  civiliza- 
tion and  religion  shall  radiate  to  the  surrounding  regions." 
This  we  hold  to  be  a  just  sentiment ;  and  in  proportion 
as  we  see  the  principal  points,  and  the  strong-holds  of  Af- 
rica becoming  depots  of  European  arts,  science,  com- 
merce, and  religion,  we  hail  the  day  as  at  hand  when 
Christian  philanthropy  shall  realize  some  of  her  "  divinest 
wonders,"  amidst  those  nations  that  have  so  long  sat  in 
darkness. 

Providential  coincidences,  which  we  have  had  occasion 
more  than  once  to  notice,  are  now^here  more  distinctly 
marked  than  in  the  movements  in  Africa,  and  in  respect 
to  Africa.  The  vast  and  extensive  preparations  which 
have  been  making  on  that  continent  for  its  regeneration, 
are  co-existent  with  the  remarkable  waking  up  of  the 
philanthropic  and  benevolent  engergies  of  Christendom  in 
its  behalf  As  the  door  is  opened  on  the  one  hand,  the 
means  are  provided  on  the  other. 

But  we  shall  fail  to  appreciate  the  prospective  influ- 
ence of  commerce  on  Africa,  if  we  do  not  allow  a  mo- 
ment's consideration  of  the  resources  and  the  commercial 
advantages  of  that  continent.  Few  may  be  aware  of  the 
amount  of  commerce  which  England  and  America  al- 
ready carry  on  with  Africa;    yet   her  resources  have 


COMMERCIAL  ADVANTAGES.  305 

scarcely  begun  to  be  developed,  or  her  advantages  to  be 
improved.  A  single  mercantile  house  in  England  had  a 
trade  with  Western  Africa,  the  value  of  whose  imports 
for  the  years  1832 — 33 — 31,  amounted  to  $1,400,000 
annually ;  and  the  next  year,  the  importations  to  Eng- 
land of  the  single  article  of  palm  oil,  were  one  thousand 
two  hundred  and  sixty  five  tons;  worth  $1,700,000. 
But  it  is  rather  to  the  yet  unappropriated  resources  of 
the  country  to  which  we  refer,  as  exhibiting  any  thing 
like  the  due  importance  to  be  attached  to  the  providential 
movement  under  consideration. 

Speaking  of  Western  and  Central  Africa,  a  writer,  re- 
viewing Mungo  Park,  says,  "  there  is  probably  no  other 
equal  expanse  of  territory  which  has  such  a  portion  of 
its  surface  capable  of  easy  cultivation.  From  the  base 
of  the  Kong  Mountains,  in  every  direction  to  the  Atlan- 
tic on  the  one  side,  and  to  the  deserts  on  the  other,  the 
land  slopes  off  in  easy  gradations  or  terraces,  presenting 
luxuriant  plains,  immense  forests,  and  mountainous  or  un- 
dulating regions  of  great  variety  and  beauty.  It  pos- 
sesses, almost  universally,  a  soil  which  knows  no  exhaus- 
tion. A  perpetual  bloom  covers  the  surface,  over  which 
reigns  the  untroubled  serenity  of  a  cloudless  sky.  Aside 
from  the  splendors  and  luxuries  of  the  vegetable  world, 
the  great  staple  of  commerce  may  be  produced  here  in 
an  unlimited  abundance.  The  cotton  tree,  which,  in  our 
southern  states,  must  be  planted  every  spring,  grows 
there  for  four  successive  years,  yielding  four  crops  of  the 
finest  quality.  Coffee  grows  spontaneously  in  the  inte- 
rior, giving  about  nine  pounds  to  the  plant.  Rice,  with 
a  little  cultivation  in  some  places,  equals  the  fertility  of 
the  imperial  fields  of  China ;  and  sugar-cane  grows  with 
mirivaled  magnificence."  Those  travelers  who  have 
most  carefully  examined  the  soil  and  products,  assure  us 
that  there  is  nothing  in  the  glowing  climes  of  the  Indies, 
Eastern  or  Western,  which  some  parts  of  Central  Africa 
will  not  produce  with  equal  richness.  "  It  cannot  admit 
of  a  doubt,"  says  Park,  "  that  all  the  rich  productions,  both 
of  the  East  and  West  Indies,  might  easily  be  naturalized 
and  brought  to  the  utmost  jjcrfectio?!,  in  the  tropical  parts 
of  this  immense  continent.     Nothing  is  wanting  to  this 


306  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOllY. 

end  but  example  to  enlighten  the  minds  of  the  natives, 
and  instruction  to  enable  them  to  direct  their  industry  to 
proper  objects.  It  was  not  possible  for  me  to  behold  the 
ivonderful  fertilitij  of  the  soil,  the  vast  herds  of  cattle, 
proper  both  for  labor  and  food,  and  a  variety  of  other  cir- 
cumstances favorable  to  colonization  and  agriculture,  and 
reflect  withal  on  the  means  which  presented  themselves 
of  a  vast  inland  navigation,  without  lamenting  that  a 
country  so  abundantly  gifted  and  favored  by  nature, 
should  remain  in  its  present  savage  and  neglected  state." 

Her  mountains,  too,  are  full  of  riches — her  streams  run 
down  on  golden  sands — her  mineral  riches  seem  not  in- 
ferior to  the  wealth  of  her  soil.  And  if  we  add  to  all  this 
the  facilities  which  Africa  enjoys  for  navigation  and  inter- 
nal communication,  we  cannot  fail  to  get  some  just  idea 
of  the  magnitude  of  the  commercial  element  which  is  soon 
to  be  used,  and  which  Providence  has  begun  to  use,  for 
the  civilization  and  the  renovation  of  Africa.  To  say 
nothing  of  the  obvious  advantages  of  her  immense  line 
of  sea-coast,  Western,  Central  and  Eastern  Africa  is 
drained  by  numerous  large  and  navigable  rivers,  down 
which  her  gems,  and  gold,  and  wealth  may  flow,  to  enrich 
and  beautify  all  lands,  while  she  shall  receive,  in  return, 
the  richer  gifts  of  science,  freedom  and  religion.  And  the 
fact  that  the  Niger,  which,  in  its  singularly  circuitous 
course,  visits  a  large  portion  of  Central  Africa,  has  already 
been  invaded  by  the  paddle-wheels  of  European  improve- 
ment, (English  skill  and  intelligence  blessing  the  hitherto 
benighted  regions  of  the  Niger,)  is  a  pleasing  prognos- 
tication of  what  God  is  about  to  do  for  that  long  forsaken 
continent. 

And  God  is  doing  yet  more  for  Africa.  The  Ottoman 
Empire  has,  perhaps,  been  the  most  formidable  hindrance 
to  the  redemption  of  Africa.  By  its  inhumane  policy  and 
intolerant  religion  ;  by  the  encouragement  it  has  afforded 
to  the  slave  trade,  and  its  active  participation  in  that  in- 
human traffick,  it  has  stood  as  a  most  formidable  barrier  to 
all  progress.  But  that  obstacle  is,  in  a  great  measure, 
removed.  In  the  sure  revolutions  of  Providence  the  Otto- 
man Empire  is  falling  into  decay.  Its  power  is  gone ; 
and  henceforth,  as  the  tide  of  knowledge,  freedom  and 


A    MORAL    iMACHINERY.  307 

religion  shall  roll  on  their  waves  eastward  into  the  centre 
of  Africa,  they  shall  no  longer  be  arrested  by  the  intolerant 
disciples  of  Slecca,  or  be  turned  back  by  the  withering 
sirocco  of  the  slave  trade. 

5.  There  remains  one  other  point  from  which  1  would 
have  you  see  Africa  as  a  land  in  which  God  is  preparing 
his  way  before  him.  It  is  the  providential  existence  of  a 
7noral  macliinery,  already  in  successful  operation,  and  in- 
creasing every  year,  which  can  scarcely  fail  to  work  out 
the  redemption  of  Africa.  Education,  the  press  and  the 
preached  gospel,  are  a  threefold  lever,  which,  as  has  been 
done  in  so  many  other  lands,  will  surely  raise  wretched 
Africa  from  the  dark  vicinity  of  hell  into  a  delightful 
proximity  with  heaven.  The  introduction,  protection  and 
success  of  recent  efforts  for  the  evangelization  of  Africa, 
are  purely  providential.  The  full  amount  of  this  provi- 
dential agency  we  can  estimate  only  by  bringing  before 
the  mind  a  complete  catalogue  of  all  the  missionary  sta- 
tions which  now  begirt  Africa — the  number  of  laborers — 
the  means  of  usefulness,  by  the  press,  education,  or  a 
preached  gospel — their  operations — present  results,  and 
prospective  influence.  Such  a  view,  alone,  would  exhibit 
the  ybrce  of  the  moral  machinery  which  Providence  has 
there  prepared  for  the  future  prosecution  of  his  work.  A 
general  idea,  sufiiciently  accurate  for  our  present  purpose, 
may,  however,  be  gained  from  the  following  general, 
though  not  complete  view  of  evangelical  missions  in 
Africa. 

Nearly  every  missionary  society,  known  to  the  writer, 
has  missions  in  x\frica.  Reliable  statistics  make  them,  in 
all,  eighteen.  These  missions  are  met  at  Sierra  Leone, 
Liberia,  Cape  Palmas,  Cape  Coast  Castle  ;  at  the  Gambia 
settlement ;  on  the  coast  of  Guinea  ;  on  Fernando  Po  ;  at 
various  points  in  South  Africa,  and  a  single  station  on  the 
eastern  coast,  and  one  on  the  northern. 

The  following  may  be  taken  as  very  nearly  the  present 
efl?ective  force  acting  in  Africa,  as  gathered  from  statistics, 
which  may  be  relied  on.* 


Missionary  Herald,  May,  1&17. 


308  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Stations.      Laborers.      Communicants.        Scholars. 


South  Africa, 

115 

260 

10,725 

11,218 

West       « 

53 

161 

6,323 

8,638 

North      " 

1 

11 

20 

234 

East 

1 

2 

170         434  17,068         20,090 

Bv  laborers,  we  mean  missionaries  and  assistant  mis- 
sionaries. The  above  items  are,  perhaps,  all  below  the 
reality,  on  account  of  the  deficiency  of  reports,  but  suffi- 
ciently accurate  to  give  a  general  idea  of  the  instru- 
mentality which  Providence  has  made  ready  for  future 
progress.  Much  has  been  done  to  introduce  the  gospel 
into  Africa — and  yet  how  little !  Cut  off  South  Africa, 
and  remove  a  narrow  strip  of  the  western  coast,  and  only 
two  stations  will  remain. 

The  Church  Missionary  Society  have  thirteen  stations 
in  West  Africa  ;  the  Moravians,  seven  stations  and  forty- 
seven  missionaries,  and  six  thousand,  eight  hundred  and 
forty  converts,  in  South  Africa ;  in  four  of  their  congre- 
gations five  thousand  persons  are  wont  to  hear  the  gospel. 
The  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society  has-  been  providen- 
tially led,  by  a  train  of  circumstances  which  it  could  nei- 
ther have  foreseen  nor  controlled,  to  extend  its  operations 
four  hundred  miles  along  the  coast  of  Guinea,  and  two 
hundred  miles  interior  towards  Ashantee. 

The  instance  just  alluded  to,  is  too  beautifully  illus- 
trative of  our  general  position,  as  well  as  of  the  present 
movements  of  Providence  in  Africa,  to  be  passed  without 
a  moment's  detail.  A  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  Ba- 
dagry,  having  been  sold  as  slaves,  w^ere  captured  by  a 
British  cruiser,  and  carried  into  Sierra  Leone.  There 
they  became  acquainted  with  Christian  missionaries  and 
with  Christianity.  In  due  time  they  are  returned  to 
Badagry,  where  they  make  known  the  religion  of  the 
cross,  exemplify  Christianity  by  an  improved  life,  and  thus 
prepare  the  way  for  the  establishment  of  a  promising 
Hiission  there  under  the  auspices  of  the  Wesleyans.  Mr. 
Freeman,  of  the  newly  established  mission,  visits  Under- 
stone,  one  hundred  miles  to  the  north  of  Badagry,  meets 
there,  too,  a  large  number  of  these  Sierra  Leone  Christians, 


i%- 


ESTABLISHMENT    OF    MISSIONS.  309 

(or  re-captured  slaves,)  who  are  overjoyed  to  see  him ; 
he  receives  a  cordial  v^elcome  from  the  King  Lodeke, 
who  had  become  favorably  disposed  to  the  English  Gov- 
ernment, to  English  missions,  and  to  Christianity,  through 
those  of  his  people  who  had  been  so  kindly  rescued  from 
slavery,  and  returned,  and  yet  more  pleased  with  the  im- 
proved moral  condition  in  which  they  had  returned.  This 
led  to  the  establishment  of  another  mission  under  royal 
auspices,  the  king  himself  being  the  chief  patron.  Such 
examples  might  be  multiplied.  The  re-capture  of  the 
Mendians — their  being  brought  to  New  England — taught 
Christianity — and  their  return  to  their  own  country,  to 
report  what  they  had  learned,  and  the  establishment  of  a 
mission  in  connection  with  them,  is  another  example  of 
the  same  character. 

Kings  and  chiefs,  not  a  few,  have  favored  other  mis- 
sions, extending  the  arms  of  their  protection  over  them ; 
not  only  inviting  missionaries  to  reside  in  their  dominions, 
but  offering  them  houses  to  live  in,  and  facilities  to  work 
with.  In  the  colonies  of  Cape  Palmas,  Liberia  proper. 
Sierra  Leone,  and  on  the  Gambia,  are  more  than  one 
hundred  missionaries  and  assistant  missionaries  engaged 
in  successful  labor  ;  some  of  them  native  Africans  ;  five 
thousand  regular  communicants,  and  twelve  thousand 
regular  attendants,  and  tens  of  thousands  perfectly  ac- 
cessible to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
Wilson,  in  late  tours  to  the  north  and  south  of  the  Ga- 
boon, one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  and  for  many  miles  in- 
terior, found  "  the  people  generally  ready  to  hear  the 
gospel,  and  they  solicited  a  missionary"  to  reside  among 
them.  And  all  this  since  the  settlement  at  Sierra  Leone 
in  1787.  Surely  the  finger  of  God  is  pointing  to  colonies 
as  the  medium  through  which  Christian  missions  are  to 
reach  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  millions  of  benighted, 
bleeding  Africa. 

The  colony  at  Liberia  affords  a  pleasant  illustration 
of  this.  A  population  of  some  seven  or  eight  tliousand 
emigrants  and  re-captured  slaves,  has  twenty-three 
churches,  embracing  a  third  part  of  the  entire  population  ; 
fifteen  schools,  with  five  hundred  and  sixty-two  pupils ; 
four  hundred  miles  of  sea-coast  arrested  from  the  slave 


310  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

trade — a  civilized  and  republican  government,  which  ex- 
tends its  sway  (beyond  the  number  above  named,)  over 
eighty  thousand  native  Africans — one  hundred  thousand 
more  are  in  treaty  with  this  government  not  to  engage  in 
the  traffick  of  slaves. 

From  whatever  point  we  look,  we  can  scarcely  fail  to 
see  that  Providence  is  accumulating  a  vast  and  effective 
power  for  the  renovation  of  Africa.  His  strong  arm  is 
now  made  bare  to  break  the  bands  that  have  so  long  held 
her  in  thraldom,  and  to  give  her  the  liberty  whereby  the 
gospel  makes  free.  Colonies  are  opening  the  way  ;  com- 
merce is  giving  wings  to  benevolence  ;  bringing  mind  in 
contact  with  mind ;  bringing  the  destitute  in  proximity 
with  their  benefactors,  and  the  Divine  agency,  through  a 
preached  gospel,  is  furnishing  the  effective  power  by 
which  to  achieve  the  desired  transformation. 

In  Western  Africa  we  see  the  banners  of  civil  liberty 
unfurled  in  the  creation  of  a  free  government  in  Liberia, 
which,  we  hope,  is  as  the  little  leaven  in  the  meal.  An 
"  African  Education  and  Civilization  Society"  springs 
into  existence,  about  the  same  time,  in  New  York,  to  aid 
"  young  persons  of  color,  who  desire  to  devote  themselves 
to  God  and  their  kindred  according  to  the  flesh,"  and  to 
promote  "  the  general  cause  of  education  in  Africa.  And, 
simultaneously  with  these,  there  comes  an  appeal  from 
Syria  in  behalf  of  the  "  Arabic  press  ;"  arrangements 
being  made  there  for  the  publication  of  a  Christian  litera- 
ture for  the  "  Arab  race,"  including  a  correct  and  ac- 
ceptable translation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  in  Arabic — a 
language  spoken  by  a  people  scattered  over  Africa  from 
the  Red  Sea  to  the  Atlantic. 

6.  Late  philological  researches  in  Africa  seem  to  be 
developing  a  fact  in  reference  to  languages,  which  indi- 
cates a  most  interesting  providential  arrangement  for  the 
encouragement  of  the  missionary,  and  to  facilitate  the 
work  of  Africa's  evangelization.  It  is  the  close  affinity 
of  African  dialects.  Investigations  made  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Wilson  in  Western  Africa,  and  by  Rev.  Dr.  Krapf,  W. 
p.  Cooley  and  others,  on  the  Eastern  coast,  and  in  the 
interior  of  the  continent  south  of  the  equator,  discover  a 
striking  affinity  among  the  languages  spoken  throughout 


'  AFFINITY    OF    AFRICAN    LANGUAGES.  311 

that  vast  territory.  So  close  is  this  affinity  that  the  na- 
tive of  Zanzibar,  on  the  Eastern  coast,  nnay,  with  Httle 
difficulty,  understand  the  language  of  the  native  of  the 
Gaboon.  Such  being  the  fact,  (and  a  like  discovery  may 
be  made  in  reference  to  the  languages  spoken  north  of 
the  equator,)  we  at  once  surmise  that  Providence  has  an- 
ticipated one  of  the  most  formidable  obstacles  to  the  ditfu- 
sion  of  the  gospel  among  the  unknown  millions  of  that 
continent,  and  prepared  the  way  for  its  evangelization, 
when  the  fiat  shall  be  given,  with  an  astonishing  and 
glorious  rapidity. 

Thus  are  obstacles  vanishing,  and  means  multiplying, 
and  channels  opening  through  the  broad  moral  wastes  of 
this  great  desert,  by  which  the  pure  waters  of  salvation 
shall  course  their  way,  and  bear  spiritual  life  and  health 
to  that  parched  land. 

Christian  missions  are,  in  a  word,  following  up  com- 
mercial enterprise,  and  the  laudable  efforts  to  suppress  the 
slave  trade.  And,  at  the  same  time,  Heaven  is  over- 
ruling that  nefarious  traffick  to  the  great  and  permanent 
good  of  that  long-abused  and  degraded  continent.  Thou- 
sands of  her  long-lost  sons  are  returning  to  bless  the  land 
from  which,  by  the  hand  of  violence,  they  were  so  cruelly 
torn  away.  They  that  were  lost  are  found ;  they  that 
were  dead  are  alive.  They  are  acting  the  part  of  the 
little  Israelitish  maid.  They  have  brought  with  them  a 
good  report  of  the  God  of  Israel,  and  thousands  of  their 
benighted  countrymen  are  sharing  with  them  the  riches, 
civil,  social,  intellectual  and  spiritual,  with  which  they 
have  returned  laden.  Let  the  present  plans  of  coloniza- 
tion be  carried  into  effect,  and  the  advancement  of  Africa, 
under  God,  is  secured. 

It  is  a  delightful  feature  of  our  times  that  a  Divine 
agency  is  at  work  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  re- 
moving obstacles,  demolishing  the  strong-holds  of  Satan, 
and  gathering  resources  and  providing  facilities  for  the 
moral  conquest  of  the  world.  And  in  relation  to  no 
country  is  this  agency  more  visible  than  in  Africa.  "  And 
unless  nature's  resources  must  be  squandered  in  vain,  and 
Christian  philanthropy  be  baffled,  and  the  great  move- 
ments of  the  moral  and  political  world  come  to  naught, 


312  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

the  period  will  ere  long  arrive  when  she  shall  be  en- 
lightened and  powerful,  and  shall  lavish  her  blessings 
among  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  as  freely  as  they  have 
lavished  on  her  chains  and  ignominy."  ^ 

Christianity  once  flom^shed  in  Africa.  A  thousand 
churches  once  adorned  her  northern  border.  She  had 
her  "colleges,  her  repositories  of  science  and  learning, 
her  Cyprians  and  Bishops  of  apostolic  renown,  and  her 
noble  "^army  of  martyrs."  There  was  light  in  Africa  when 
there  was  darkness  in  all  the  world  beside.  Nowhere 
has  learning,  and  empire,  and  civilization,  and  refine- 
ment, and  Christianity,  more  prospered.  But  their  light 
has  been  extinguished,  and  no  land  has  been  covered  with 
a  denser  darkness.  And  as  we  now  see  the  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness again  beginning  to  cast  its  healing  beams  over 
that  sable  land,  and  the  spirit  of  former  years  to  revivify 
her  moral  deserts,  we  may  indulge  the  pleasing  hope  that 
this  long  neglected,  fruitless  field,  is  about  to  be  inclosed 
within  the  domains  of  civil  liberty  and  a  pure  Christianity. 

The  view  we  have  now  taken  of  Africa  and  things 
pertaining  to  Africa,  supplies  an  argument  in  behalf  of 
colonizing  our  colored  population  on  the  coast  of  Africa. 
Hundreds — thousands,  and  many  of  them  emancipated 
slaves,  may  now,  with  their  own  consent,  be  transferred 
to  their  native  land,  greatly  to  the  benefit  of  our  own 
country,  and  more  to  their  benefit,  and  most  of  all  to  the 
advantage  of  Africa.  The  American  Colonization  So- 
ciety is  limited  in  its  laudable  work  only  by  the  want  of 
funds.  Africa  now  holds  out  every  reasonable  inducement 
to  colonists  ;  a  reward  to  industry ;  freedom  to  all ;  an 
abundance  of  good  land  ;  schools  and  seminaries  of  learn- 
ing ;  the  privilege  of  being  men  and  not  "  goods  and 
chattels."  And  a  free  Government — a  Republic,  opens 
wide  her  arms  to  welcome  them  to  all  the  prerogatives 
of  citizens  and  Christians.  Perhaps,  in  the  whole  range 
of  benevolent  enterprise,  we  shall  seek  in  vain  for  an- 
other cause,  which  promises  more  immediate  success,  or 
more  lasting  and  extensive  good,  than  the  cause  of  the 
American  Colonization  Society. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

The  Armenians— their  history,  number,  location.  Dispersion  and  preservation  of  the 
Armenians.  The  American  Mission  ;  Asaad  Shidiak  ;  exile  of  Hohannes.  Tiie  great 
Revival.    The  Persecution,  and  wliat  God  has  brought  out  of  it. 

"/i  is  a  righteous  thing  with  God  to  recompense  tribulation  to 
them  that  trouble  you?'' — 2  Thes.  i.  6. 

It  now  only  remains  to  take  a  survey  of  some  of  the 
ancient  Christian  churches :  and  should  we  discover  in 
them,  too,  the  workings  of  the  same  Divine  Hand,  pre- 
paring them  to  receive  a  pure  gospel,  it  will  strengthen 
the  conviction  that  the  dawn  of  a  better  day  draws  near. 
The  simple  existence  of  these  churches  is  a  matter  of  no 
little  interest.  They  date  back  to  a  very  early  period  in 
the  annals  of  Christianity.  They  have,  each  in  its  day, 
nobly  served  the  cause  of  truth — each  cast  her  light  over 
the  surrounding  darkness  ;  and  each  in  turn,  suffered  an 
eclipse ;  and  now  they  seem  once  more  emerging  from 
the  cloud  which  has  so  long  overshadowed  them,  to  send 
forth  the  beams  of  a  new  day.  We  shall  now  attempt  to 
trace  the  Hand  of  God  as  at  present  engaged  to  reclaim 
and  revivify  those  long  waste  and  barren  domains  of 
nominal  Christianity.     We  begin  with 

The  Armenians.  The  original  country  of  the  Arme- 
nians lies  between  the  Mediterranean,  the  Black  and 
the  Caspian  Seas.  The  Armenians  are  a  very  ancient 
race  ;  and  as  Mount  Arrarat  occupied  a  central  position 
in  ancient  Armenia,  and  on  this  notable  mount  they  still, 
in  their  dispersion,  make  their  religious  centre,  (at  Eck- 
miadzin  on  Mount  Arrarat,)  we  may  as  well  fancy  their 
pedigree  to  reach  back  to  the  first  peopling  of  the  earth 
on  the  disembarkation  from  Noah's  ark.  Amidst  all  the 
revolutions  of  the  Assyrian,  Persian,  Greek,  and  Roman 
empires,  the  Armenians  remained  a  civilized  and  cultiva- 
ted people — early  embraced  Christianity — tradition  says 

27 


314  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Thaddeus,  one  of  the  seventy,  introduced  the  gospel 
among  them,  and  history  responds  to  its  very  early  intro- 
duction. The  Armenian  Church  was  found  completely 
organized  and  established  in  the  beginning  of  the  fourth 
century.  And  before  the  middle  of  the  sixth  century  it 
separated  from  the  Greek  Church.  Though  most  per- 
severing in  their  attempts,  the  Papists  have  never  been 
able  to  unite  them  generally  or  permanently  to  Rome, 
while  the  Turkish  Government  has  constantly  protected 
them  against  these  wily  invaders. 

Few  nations  have  so  varied  a  political  history  as  the 
Armenians.  During  the  respective  existence  of  each  of 
the  four  great  monarchies,  Armenia  was  frequently  con- 
quered and  re-conquered,  ever  clinging  to  her  national 
life  with  undying  tenacity.  Since  the  middle  of  the  six- 
teenth century,  the  Armenians  have  mostly  remained 
subject  to  the  Turks.  Armenia  has  long  since  ceased  to 
exist  as  a  distinct  nation.  Like  Poland  in  Europe,  she 
has  been  divided  among  her  more  powerful  neighbors, 
and  her  people  dispersed  into  almost  every  part  of  Turkey 
and  Persia,  into  Russia  and  India  ;  and  not  a  few  found 
a  refuge  and  a  lucrative  business  in  Amsterdam,  Ant- 
werp, London  and  Marseilles.  Wherever  found  in  their 
dispersion,  they  are  an  enterprising,  frugal,  industrious 
people.  Their  number  in  the  Turkish  empire  is  estima- 
ted at  three  millions  ;  one  million  in  Russia  ;  and  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  are  to  be  found  in  Constanti- 
nople and  its  suburbs.  They  are  also  numerous  at 
Broosa,  Smyrna,  Trebizond  and  Erzeroom,  in  ancient 
Armenia  ;  at  each  of  which  points  the  American  Board 
have  missions  acting  in  connection  with  the  most  impor- 
tant station,  which  is  at  Constantinople. 

The  chief  points  of  interest  which  demand  attention  as 
illustrating  our  present  subject,  are  the  dispersion  and 
preservation  of  the  Armenians  ;  the  history  of  the  late 
mission  among  them  ;  the  late  revival,  and  the  consequent 
persecution. 

The  Armenians,  as  I  said,  have  long  since  ceased  to 
exist  as  a  distinct  nation.  Driven  out  from  their  coun- 
try by  political  revolutions,  or  enticed  away  by  the 
desire  of  gain,  they  are  to  be  found  not  only  in  every 


DISPERSION   OF  THE   ARMENIANS.  315 

part  of  the  Turkish  empire,  from  the  Caucassus  to 
the  Nile,  and  from  the  Danube  to  the  Persian  Gulf, 
but  they  are  found  in  Koordistan,  in  different  parts  of 
Europe,  in  Persia  and  India ;  and  wherever  found,  they 
are  generally  an  enterprising,  influential  and  wealthy 
class  of  citizens.  "  In  Turkey,  they  are  the  great  pro- 
ducers, whether  they  till  the  land  or  engage  in  manu- 
factures. They  are  the  bone  and  sinew  of  the  land — at 
once  the  most  useful  and  peaceful  citizens.  Were  they 
removed  from  Turkey,  the  wealth  and  productive  power 
of  the  country  would  be  incalculably  diminished." 

Already  is  Providence  developing  a  design  to  be  an- 
swered by  this  singular  dispersion  of  the  Armenians, 
worthy  of  infinite  wisdom ;  a  design  in  reference  to 
Mohammedan  countries,  not  dissimilar,  perhaps,  to  that 
to  be  achieved  towards  the  whole  tvorkl  by  the  disper- 
sion of  the  Israelitish  race.  The  Armenians  are  likely 
to  prove  the  regenerators  of  the  Turkish  empire.  This 
is  a  feature,  we  shall  see,  which  has  been  peculiarly  de- 
veloped in  the  late  revival  and  the  recent  persecution. 
In  no  other  way,  perhaps,  since  the  rise  of  Islamism,  has 
the  power  of  Christianity  been  so  directly  and  effectually 
brought  home  to  the  Mohammedan  mind.  No  accident 
or  blind  chance  has  dispersed  the  Armenians  and  pre- 
served them  in  their  scattered  condition. 

We  shall  discover  more  of  this  design  as  we  proceed 
to  the  other  particulars  which  claim  our  attention. 

The  unwritten  history  of  the  Armenians  is  full  of  in- 
terest. The  last  quarter  of  a  century  has  been  to  them 
the  season  of  hope  and  preparation  ;  the  return  of  spring 
after  a  long  and  dreary  winter.  We  may  date  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  American  Mission  among  the  Arme- 
nians in  1831,  and  the  late  spirit  of  inquiry  somewhat 
earlier.  We  are  unacquainted  with  the  secondary  causes 
which  conduced  to  rouse  the  Armenian  mind  into  the 
interesting  state  of  activity  which  has  existed  during  the 
last  twenty-five  years.  The  time  had  come  for  God  to 
work  ;  the' time  for  the  great  Head  of  the  church  to  send 
his  embassadors  among  this  people.  A  mission  was  es- 
tablished just  in  time  to  meet  the  state  of  things  which 
the  spirit  of  God  had  prepared. 


316  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

It  does  not  fall  within  the  present  plan  to  enter  into 
the  history  of  this  interesting  mission,  but  to  present  cer- 
tain aspects  and  features  of  it,  which  shall  exhibit  the 
Hand  of  God  as  engaged  to  renovate  a  corrupt  and  long 
forsaken  church,  and,  perhaps,  to  re-establish  a  long  scat- 
tered and  oppressed  nation.  The  whole  history  of  the 
mission  is  a  beautiful  delineation  of  Divine  Providence. 

As  early  as  1833,  the  mission  at  Constantinople  report 
that  "  many  Armenians  regard  their  national  church  as 
encumbered  with  numerous  burdensome  ceremonies  not 
required  by  the  Scriptures,  and  of  no  practical  advantage, 
and  sigh  for  something  better,  without  knowing  exactly 
what  they  want — as  if  the  Lord  were  preparing  them  for 
a  gracious  visitation."  There  was  at  that  period  a 
singular  moving  of  the  stagnant  waters  ;  a  vague  pre- 
sentiment of  a  coming  change  ;  a  manifest  dissatisfaction 
and  restiveness  under  the  yoke  of  ecclesiastical  bondage  ; 
a  mental  activity  that  presaged  emancipation  ;  doubt ; 
skepticism :  a  spirit  of  investigation ;  some  embryo 
breathings  after  liberty.  The  leaven  was  at  work,  for  the 
most  part  secretly,  yet,  as  the  event  has  shown,  effectively. 
For  the  next  three  years  the  work  of  reform  goes  on 
steadily,  and  for  the  most  part  quietly.  "  There  is  now 
a  growing  spirit  of  inquiry,  not  only  about  the  truth  as  a 
matter  of  speculation,  but  after  salvation  through  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  No  doubt  much  of  this  may  be  re- 
ferred to  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  The  Arme- 
nian mind  was  roused  to  seek  after  truth. 

But  here  we  should  fail  to  honor  the  Hand  of  God  in 
this  extraordinary  work,  were  we  not  to  recur  to  some 
incidents  of  an  earlier  date. 

In  the  little  village  of  Hardet,  five  miles  from  Bey- 
root,  lived  a  widowed  mother  with  five  sons  and  three 
daughters.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  the  third  son  enters  the 
college  at  Ain  Waka,  passes  through  the  prescribed 
course  of  study,  and  then  spends  two  years  in  teaching 
theology  to  the  monks  of  a  convent  near  Hardet.  He 
afterwards  serves  the  Bishop  of  Beyroot  as  Scribe,  as  he 
also  did  at  another  time  the  Patriarch.  Having  occu- 
pied these  conspicuous  stations,  he  gained  still  more  no- 
toriety by  the  manner  he  fell  under  suspicion  and  was 


PERSECUTION   OF  ASAAD  SHIDIAK.  317 

dismissed  from  the  Patriarch's  service.  But  this  was  the 
incident  which  brought  him  to  the  notice  of  Mr.  King, 
and  in  connection  with  the  American  Mission,  and 
finally  led  to  his  conviction  of  the  truth  and  his  conver- 
sion to  God.  His  candid,  shrewd,  powerful,  comprehen- 
sive mind,  could  not  resist  the  simple  truths  of  the  gospel 
when  thus  presented.  He  now  became  a  victim  of  per- 
secution, merciless  and  unrelenting,  by  the  Patriarch  and 
his  church.  He  is  decoyed  into  the  hands  of  his  ene- 
mies— thrown  into  a  dungeon,  confined  in  chains,  daily 
beaten,  and  here  he  languishes  for  years,  firm  in  the  faith 
and  rich  in  hope,  till  the  kind  angel  of  death  set  him  free. 
Thus  lived  and  thus  died  the  well  known  Asaad  Shi- 
diak,  a  martyr  and  an  ornament  to  the  truth,  and  a  gem 
in  the  diadem  of  the  King.  But  he  died  not  in  vain. 
He  was  a  remarkable  illustration  of  the  power  of  Chris- 
tianity. A  great  mind,  once  entangled  in  the  meshes  of 
superstition  and  error,  now  broke  away,  grasped  the 
truth,  and  yielded  it  not  with  his  expiring  breath.  His 
was  a  religion  that  endured  in  dungeons,  chains  and 
scourgings.  He  was  a  bright  and  shining  light  in  a  dark 
place.  Though  incarcerated  in  a  dark  and  filthy  prison, 
languishing  for  long  and  painful  years  in  hopeless  con- 
finement, his  enemies  found  themselves  altogether  unable 
to  suppress  the  power  of  his  example.  His  light  shone 
over  all  the  countries  of  the  Levant.  An  apostolic  gos- 
pel, and  an  apostolic  piety,  had  re- appeared  on  the  ground 
where  apostles  and  primitive  Christians  had  once  trod. 
A  morning  star  has  risen  and  cast  its  mild  light  over  the 
dark  cloud  which  had  so  long  hung  over  all  that  portion 
of  Christendom.  The  Armenians  greatly  shared  in  that 
light.  They  now  saw  how  strongly  the  power  of  vital 
godliness,  as  illustrated  in  the  life  and  sufferings  of  Asaad, 
contrasted  with  the  dead  formalism  of  their  own  church  ; 
and  perhaps  no  one  cause  has  contributed  more  largely 
to  rouse  their  dormant  energies  than  the  conversion,  the 
Christian  life  and  persecution  of  this  eminent  saint.  His 
connection  with  the  Bishop,  and  afterwards  with  the  Pa- 
triarch, his  eminence  as  a  scholar,  and  his  notoriety  as  a 
teacher,  all  contributed  to  the  same  end.  And  though  his 
sun  seemed  to  set  prematurely  and  in  a  cloud,  yet  it  cast 

27* 


318  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

back  a  light  that  illumined  those  dark  lands.  And  per- 
haps, too,  no  one  cause  has  contributed  so  largely  to  enlist 
the  sympathies  and  prayers,  and  to  secure  the  co-opera- 
tion of  Christendom  on  behalf  of  that  portion  of  the  world. 

At  a  later  date,  (1840,)  a  similar  impression  was  pro- 
duced by  the  exile  from  their  country,  for  religion's  sake,, 
of  Hohannes  and  others,  among  the  Armenians.  This 
created  a  deep  sympathy  throughout  the  Turkish  empire, 
and  did  much  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  separation  of 
the  "  Evangelicals"  from  the  national  church,  a  measure 
since  accomplished,  and  one  fraught  with  immense  good 
to  the  Armenian  nation. 

The  interest  of  the  work  continued  to  deepen,  the 
leaven  was  at  work  ;  the  high  ecclesiastical  authorities 
from  time  to  time  interposing  the  arm  of  persecution. 
The  seminary  for  boys  was  broken  up.  Yet  this  was 
but  the  signal  for  a  wealthy  Armenian  to  come  forward 
and  propose,  and  himself  largely  to  patronize  a  school  on 
a  yet  more  extensive  plan.  This  is  but  of  a  piece  with 
the  interpositions  of  Providence  throughout  the  history 
of  this  mission.  Every  attempt  at  persecution  (and  they 
have  been  neither  few  nor  small)  has  been  overruled  for 
the  furtherance  of  the  gospel. 

And  we  may  remark  in  passing,  that  perhaps  we  shall 
nowhere  find  occasion  more  profoundly  to  admire  the 
timely  interpositions  of  Providence,  than  as  they  are  seen 
in  the  protection  afforded  to  the  missions  in  Western 
Asia,  or  rather  the  protection  afforded  to  the  developjnent 
of  the  reformation  among  the  Armenians,  as  also  among 
the  Nestorians  and  the  Arabs  of  Syria.  It  was  a  tender 
germ,  sprung  up  in  a  forbidding  soil,  and  assailed  on  every 
side  by  adverse  influences.  But  God  has  watched  over 
it  as  the  apple  of  his  eye.  Nothing  that  ecclesiastical 
or  political  power  could  do,  has  beenteft  undone,  to  crush 
this  rising  reformation.  Yet  it  has  gone  on  as  surely  and 
irresistibly  as  if  nothing  had  attempted  to  oppose  its  pro- 
gress. Its  whole  history  is  interesting,  but  cannot  be 
dwelt  upon  at  present. 

We  may  date  the  commencement  of  what  has  been 
called  the  Great  Revival  among  the  Armenians  in  1841. 
Yet  this  seems  but  the  more  decided  and  manifest  ad- 


DEVELOPMENT    UF    THE    REFORMATION.  319 

vance  of  a  work  which  had  been  in  progress  for  some 
years  previous.  Communications  dated  1842,  speak  of 
the  Hand  of  God  as  manifestly  at  work,  preparino-  the 
Armenian  mind  to  receive  the  gospel.  "  There  is  much, 
say  they,  to  encourage  us  in  the  present  aspect  of  things 
among  the  Armenians.  The  evidence  of  the  Spirit's 
presence  becomes  more  and  more  distinct."  "  Until 
lately,  few  could  be  found  among  the  Armenians  who  had 
any  idea  other  than  that  all  who  are  baptized,  and  who 
attend  to  the  outward  forms  of  religion,  are  the  true  dis- 
ciples of  Christ.  Now,  multitudes  are  awake  to  the  dis- 
tinction between  mere  nominal  Christians,  and  true,  and 
the  solemn  inquiry,  *am  I  a  Christian  ?'  is  coming  home 
to  many  hearts.  Many  minds  are  awakened,  and  some 
are  on  the  utmost  stretch  of  inquiry,  dissatisfied  with  all 
former  views  and  opinions,  and  eagerly  seeking  for  some- 
thing solid  to  rest  upon."  And  speaking  of  the  character 
of  the  converts  as  affording  further  evidence  of  a  genuine 
work  of  the  Spirit,  they  say,  "  There  are  native  brethren 
here  who  are  men  of  prayer  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
who  constitute  a  living,  breathing  Christianity  in  the 
midst  of  their  church  and  community.  Among  them  are 
men  of  influence,  boldness  and  fervor,  who  would  be  pil- 
lars in  any  church  at  home." 

Two  years  later,  the  same  writer  says  :  "  There  is  a 
deep  and  thorough  work.  Facts  are  continually  coming 
to  light,  showing  that  the  movement  on  the  Armenian 
mind  is  far  more  general  than  was  supposed.  Though 
little  appears  on  the  surface,  it  is  plain  that  an  under- 
current in  favor  of  the  gospel  is  set  in  motion.  The 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  evidently  moving  on  the  Armenian 
mind."  Hundreds  and  thousands  of  families  would  wel- 
come an  evangelical  teacher.  "  Many,  evidently,  are  re- 
flecting on  the  errors  of  the  church.  The  work  is  now 
pervading  all  classes  oi  people."  It  has  already  been  re- 
marked that  many  of  these  converts  are  from  the  more  in- 
fluential classes — priests,  vertabeds,  bishops,  bankers,^ 
merchants.  Others  have  spoken  of  the  spirituality  of 
these  converts  ;  their  eagerness  for  truth  ;  their  zeal  in 
the  work  ;  their  solicitude  for  the  spiritual  welfare,  and 
the  temporal  elevation  of  their  countrymen. 


320  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Nor  is  the  work  confined  to  Constantinople  and  the 
principal  towns,  or  even  the  Turkish  empire.  "  Where- 
ever  Armenian  mind  is  found,  God  has  seemed  to  be 
speaking  to  it  by  his  Spirit."  Religious  books  and  the 
Bible,  connected  oftentimes  with  little  human  instru- 
mentality, have  been  very  prominent  means  of  carrying 
forward  ^he  work.  In  no  other  feature,  perhaps,  has  it 
been  more  obviously  distinguished  as  a  work  of  God,  in- 
dicating the  working  of  some  mighty  power  on  the  Ar- 
menian mind.  The  avidity  for  books  and  the  influence 
they  are  exerting,  will  appear  in  an  extract  from  an  ap- 
peal of  the  Mission  to  the  American  Tract  Society : 

"  The  call  for  books  increases  continually.  We  can 
now  advantageously  dispose  of  hundreds  of  tracts,  where, 
formerly,  we  could  tens.  A  new  desire  is  springing  up 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people  for  reading  the  Scriptures 
and  tracts.  Many  whole  families  are  furnished  with  a 
complete  set  of  our  books,  and  men,  women  and  children 
read  them  with  great  interest,  and  anxiously  wait  for  ev- 
ery new  work.  Huncheds,  ivko  never  heard  our  voice, 
read  them,  and  have  their  minds  opened  and  their  hearts 
impressed. 

"  Our  books  ai'e  also  finding  their  way  to  distant  places. 
The  good  work  at  Nicomedia,  you  know,  commenced 
from  the  reading  of  a  single  tract.  The  present  state  of 
the  Annenian  mind  is  such  that  it  needs  to  be  fed  with 
spiritual  food.  God  himself  has  given  them  the  appetite. 
God  is  ivorking  here,  and  how  much  better  to  work  with 
him  than  to  be  left  to  work  alone.  Never  did  we  need 
your  help  as  now.  Old  editions  of  our  books  are  ex- 
hausted, new  ones  should  be  printed  immediately.  Many 
new  works  of  different  descriptions  are  this  moment 
called  for.  The  hopes  of  inquiring  multitudes  are  defer- 
red at  the  very  time  when  this  state  of  mind  is  most  crit- 
ical. And  the  danger  is,  God's  spirit  will  be  giieved 
away,  and  leave  us  to  toil  on  alone,  unblessed,  because  we 
refuse  to  be  co-operators  with  Him." 

When  on  missionary  tours  among  the  Armenians,  it  is 
now  not  uncommon  to  meet  persons  for  the  first  time, 
who  have  been  converted  by  reading  Bibles  and  books, 
which  have  been  previously  distributed.     Little  circles  of 


THE  GREAT  REVIVAL.  321 

fifteen  or  twenty  are  found,  who  are  wont  to  meet  for 
prayer  and  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures.  This  is  the 
first  notice  the  missionary  has  of  their  existence.  The 
leaven  is  everywhere  at  work,  and  we  hope  the  whole 
lump  will  soon  be  leavened.  "I  feel  confident  in  the  as- 
surance," says  Mr.  Dwight,  "that,  with  the  blessing  of 
God,  there  will  be  a  certain  and  speedy  triumph  of  the 
gospel  here." 

How  the  good  leaven  is  at  work  in  different  and  dis- 
tant sections  of  the  Armenian  population,  is  beautifully 
illustrated  by  an  incident  which  recently  came  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  mission.  Mr.  Van  Lennep,  of  Constan- 
tinople, was  on  his  way  to  Aleppo,  whither  he  was  going, 
in  answer  to  an  urgent  request  from  certain  evangelical 
Armenians  at  that  place  and  at  'Aintab,  in  the  same  vicin- 
ity, for  a  spiritual  teacher.  He  touched  at  Cyprus — 
spending  a  day  at  Larnika,  where  two  Armenians  were 
known  to  reside  who  had  expressed  an  interest  in  the 
gospel,  but  not  openly,  for  fear  of  their  people.  He  in- 
quired after  them  with  misgivings,  fearing  they  had  fallen 
back  to  the  world.  On  finding  one  of  them,  he  was  joyfully 
surprised  to  learn  that  he  had  not  only  professed  Christ 
openly  and  honestly,  but  through  his  zeal  and  labors, 
eighteen  others  had  been  brought  to  Christ.  He  gladly 
received  the  missionary,  and  took  him  to  his  little  shop, 
where,  he  said,  "  they  had  been  roused  to  their  duty  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  and  his  word ;  that  they  immediately 
began  to  hold  meetings,  to  which  they  invited  their 
friends ;  that  God  has  most  wonderfully  blessed  their  ef- 
forts in  silencing  all  objectors,  and  convincing  all  that 
God  was  among  them  of  a  truth." 

This  solitary  disciple,  so  honored  as  an  instrument,  is 
described  as  a  hard-working,  poor  man,  toiling  in  his  lit- 
tle shop  to  support  a  numerous  family,  with  his  Bible  by 
his  side,  which  he  always  kept  open  while  at  work,  his 
eye  passinor  constantly  from  his  work  to  his  Bible,  and^ 
from  his  Bfble  to  his  work.  In  that  little  shop,  a  work  of 
grace  was  achieved  of  which  angels  might  covet  to  be 
the  instruments.  Yet  such  are  the  things  now  witnessed 
in  many  a  spot  throughout  the  Armenian  nation.  The 
hand  of  the  Lord  is  there.     Of  this  we  should  feel  a  yet 


322  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

Stronger  assurance  were  we  to  follow  Mr.  VMi  Lennep  to 
Aleppo  and  'Aintab.  At  the  latter  place,  especially,  Mr. 
V.  L.  met  a  joyful  reception  from  twenty-five  praymg 
souls,  who  had  recently  come  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth. 
Two  hundred  and  fifty  others  were  fully  convinced  that 
the  superstitions  of  their  church  were  wrong,  and  ad- 
hered to  the  gospel  only  ;  and  nearly  the  whole  Armenian 
population,  (fifteen  or  sixteen  hundred  heads  of  families,) 
were  convinced  of  the  truth  of  evangelical  doctrines. 
This  work  had,  up  to  this  time,  been  begun  and  carried 
forward  almost  entirely  by  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures 
and  religious  books. 

And  here  we  would  not  avoid  noticing  a  beautiful  in- 
terposition of  Providence  in  making  the  wrath  and  wick- 
edness of  man  to  praise  him :  "  When  only  a  few  had 
read  the  Scriptures,  and  had  had  their  eyes  opened  to 
the  errors  of  their  church,  a  letter  came  from  the  Patri- 
arch at  Constantinople,  stating  that,  whereas  a  certain 
heresiarch,  Vertannes  by  name,  had  left  the  capital  to 
travel  through  Armenia,  the  faithful  flock,  all  over  the 
country,  were  warned  against  listening  to  his  deceitful 
words.  He  had  filled  Constantinople  with  heresy ;  a 
great  many  priests  and  learned  men,  and  the  patriarch 
himself,  had  endeavored  to  convince  him  of  his  errors, 
but  without  success.  All  people  were,  therefore,  warned 
against  him.  When  this  letter  was  read  in  the  church, 
the  evangelical  men  received  the  first  information  that 
there  existed  other  people  besides  themselves,  who  ad- 
here to  the  pure  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And 
many  people  said :  '  Why,  if  the  patriarch  and  learned 
men  have  not  succeeded  in  convincing  this  heresiarch,  as 
they  call  him,  how  can  they  expect  us  to  withstand  his 
reasoning  ?  It  must  be  that  he  is  in  the  right.'  There 
is  another  interesting  fact.  There  was  a  certain  priest, 
of  great  talents,  but  a  drunkard,  who,  for  reasons  best 
known  to  himself,  professed  to  be  evangelical.  He  went 
to  'Aintab,  and  there  preached  the  truth  with  such  elo- 
quence and  boldness  that  many  were  convinced  by  him. 
His  real  character  was  then  discovered,  and  he  was  sent 
out  of  the  place  in  disgrace ;  but  the  fruits  of  his  preach- 
ing remained." 


EXTENSIVE  SYtSTEM  OF  EDUCATION.  323 

After  a  lapse  of  fifteen  years  from  the  commencement 
of  his  missionary  labors  in  Constantinople,  Rev.  Mr. 
Goodell,  a  time-honored  servant  in  that  favored  field, 
looking  back  on  the  w^ay  the  Lord  had  led  them  in  their 
work,  contrasts  the  present  w^ith  the  past.  "  Then  ev- 
ery thing,  in  a  moral  sense,  was  without  form  and  void. 
All  direct  access  to  the  Armenians  was  closed.  What  a 
change !  Now  is  an  open  door,  which  no  man  is  able  to 
shut ;  although  the  mightiest  ones  in  the  empire  had  once 
and  again  conspired  together  for  the  express  purpose  of 
closing  it  forever.  Then,  there  was  but  one  Protestant 
service  in  this  great  city  on  a  Sabbath,  and  none  during 
the  week.  Now  there  are  thirteen  on  the  Sabbath,  and 
not  less  than  twenty  during  the  week."  An  extensive 
system  of  education  has,  during  the  same  time,  been 
brought  into  active  operation — Lancasterian  schools, 
high  schools  and  seminaries ;  the  press  has  been  made 
largely  to  subserve  the  cause  of  the  truth,  and  an  evan- 
gelical literature  has  been  created.  The  elements  of 
growth  and  progress  have  been  generated  and  fostered 
under  the  benign  influences  of  the  mission,  and  a  moral 
momentum  has  been  created  in  the  form  of  knowledge 
diffused ;  mind  enlightened  ;  experience  gained  ;  books 
prepared  and  published,  and  souls  converted  and  made 
the  ready  and  efficient  agents  for  farther  progress ;  which, 
in  the  hands  of  God,  cannot  fail  to  work  out  the  regener- 
ation of  the  nation,  and  through  that  nation  we  may  ex- 
pect the  regeneration  of  the  countries  about  the  Levant. 
May  we  not  hope  the  Armenians  shall  become  the  instru- 
ments of  restoring  the  power  of  the  gospel  to  the  regions 
where,  in  ancient  times,  its  triumphs  were  first  wit- 
nessed ? 

We  can  in  no  way,  perhaps,  get  a  juster  idea  of  the 
glorious  rapidity  with  which  God  is  bringing  about  a 
great  moral  change  among  the  Armenians,  and  turning 
the  hearts  of  the  powers  that  be  to  favor  them,  than  by 
transcribing  a  single  paragraph  of  Mr.  Schneider's  jour- 
nal, when  on  a  late  tour  to  Ada  Bazar,  one  of  the  places 
favored  by  the  recent  revival.  He  contrasts  the  changes 
of  but  a  single  year,  (1845—6,)  the  time  which  has 
elapsed  since  his  previous  visit : 


324  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

"  Then,  but  few  of  them  could  call  on  me,  and  we  could 
hardly  have  a  prayer  meeting ;  now,  they  could  all  assemble 
without  fear.  Then,  as  soon  as  my  arrival  was  known,  a 
plot  was  formed  for  my  expulsion,  and  I  was  actually 
driven  away,  though  I  had  a  regular  passport  and  trav- 
eling firman  ;  but  now,  no  one  even  inquired  for  my  pass- 
port, or  thought  of  any  forcible  measure.  Then  no  one 
dared  be  seen  with  me  abroad ;  now,  the  brethren  walk 
with  me  in  the  most  frequented  part  of  the  city  with  en- 
tire fearlessness.  Then  they  were  an  unorganized  body ; 
now  they  are  gathered  into  a  regularly  constituted  church, 
with  officers  and  the  regular  administration  of  the  ordi- 
nances. Then,  no  one  could  imagine  what  would  be  the 
destiny  of  the  truth  in  this  place  ;  but  now,  its  foundations 
are  deeply  laid,  and  the  prospects  of  its  future  extension 
are  truly  cheering." 

The  mission  is  encouraged  to  believe  that  the  "  whole 
of  the  Armenian  community  are  more  or  less  pervaded 
by  a  special  divine  influence."  "The  door,  says  Mr. 
Dwight,  "  is  wide  open  for  the  prosecution  of  missionary 
labor  in  its  several  departments,  of  training  youth,  circu- 
lating books,  and  preaching  the  gospel.  At  present  there 
is  a  listening  ear.  If  we  are  furnished  with  suitable 
means  for  seizing  the  advantages  God  is  offering  us,  there 
is  every  reason  to  believe  this  whole  people  may  soon  be- 
come truly  enlightened  and  evangelical  Christians." 

Thus  writes  a  hopeful  missionary  when  he  sees  the  hand 
of  God  working  mightily  to  turn  a  nation  from  darkness 
to  light.  Nor  had  his  far  reaching  mind  overlooked  the 
cloud  that  was  gathering  in  the  dark  caverns  of  the  foe. 
Oft  he  had  heard  the  distant  grumbling  thunder,  and  oft 
seen  the  lightnings  of  wrathful  persecution  play  about 
him  and  strike  down  one  and  another  at  his  side.  The 
cloud  blackened  and  drew  near,  and  he  knew  it  was  the 
hour  and  the'  power  of  darkness.  For  long  ere  this  he 
had  expressed  himself  thus  :  "  We  notice  the  wide-spread 
alarm  and  the  stern  hostility  which  the  slightest  success 
awakens,  and  we  can  scarcely  be  mistaken  as  to  the  in- 
fluence of  future  and  more  decided  progress.  We  can- 
not hide  from  our  eyes  the  approaching  struggle,  the  gath- 
ering storm.     We  wish  not  to  hasten  it  prematurely,  but 


PERSECUTION   OF  THE  ARMENIANS.  325 

we  dare  not  try  to  avert  it.  It  will  come,  must  come, 
and  ought  to  come.  No  one  of  our  plans  can  be  accom- 
plished without  it,  no  one  of  our  prayers  heard,  no  one  of 
our  hopes  realized.  We  pray  that  God  may  pour  out  his 
spirit  on  this  people ;  but  that  cannot  be  without  pro- 
ducing instant  commotion.  We  long  for  the  conversion 
of  sinners ;  but  this,  soonest  of  all  things,  will  turn  uj)- 
side  down  this  ecclesiastical  world.  There  is  no  possible 
way  of  avoiding  this  but  by  concealing  the  light  of  the 
truth." 

But  they  did  not  conceal  the  light  of  the  truth.  They 
prayed — God  poured  out  his  spirit — sinners  were  con- 
verted, and  the  "  commotion"  did  come,  fierce,  unrelent- 
ing, overpowering  as  the  mad  billows  of  the  ocean  ;  and, 
but  for  the  signal  interposition  of  the  Almighty  Arm,  it 
would  have  engulfed,  in  one  undistinguished  ruin,  the 
whole  evangelical  effort  among  the  Armenians,  the  sub- 
jects of  it,  the  agents,  and  all  who  dared  ally  themselves 
with  it. 

We  have  less  to  do  with  the  details  of  this  shameful 
outrage  on  all  humanity,  than  with  its  providential  fea- 
tures— the  results  which  were  providentially  brought  out 
of  it.  Let  it  suffice  that  it  was  a  virulent,  religious  perse- 
cution, a  veritable  consequence  of  the  gospel  truth,  which 
had  been  diffused  among  the  Armenians,  and  of  the  prac- 
tical results  which  followed.  The  design  was  to  sup- 
press the  truth,  and  to  crush  the  rising  reformation.  For 
this  purpose  the  Patriarch  forces  on  the  evangelical  por- 
tion of  his  church  an  act  of  conformity ;  a  creed  pre- 
pared for  their  signatures,  which  was  as  redolent  with 
Popery  as  any  thing  could  be,  not  coined  at  the  mint  of  the 
Vatican  itself.  Conformity  or  excommunication  was  the 
only  alternative.  Conform,  they  could  not.  They  knew 
the  truth ;  they  had  felt  its  power.  They  had  con- 
sciences, and  they  could  never  again  bow  their  necks  to 
the  yoke  of  spiritual  bondage.  They  saw  the  storm  gath- 
ering, and  prepared  themselves  to  meet  it.  The  frightful 
act  of  excommunication  was  passed.  The  fearful  and 
faint  hearted  went  back  and  followed  no  more  after  the 
Man  at  Pilate's  bar.  Others  met  the  thunderbolt  like 
men,  and,  the  first  shock  passed,  they  gathered  up  their 

28 


326  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

Strength,  leaning  on  the  arm  of  their  Beloved,  and  pre- 
pared for  the  conflict. 

The  next  day  after  the  act  of  excommunication  and 
anathema  in  the  cathedral,  began  the  work  of  violence 
and  persecution.  The  anathematized  were  driven  out  of 
their  shops  and  houses,  and  spoiled  of  their  goods ;  im- 
prisoned under  false  pretenses ;  their  debtors  prevented 
from  paying  them  their  demands,  and  they  forced  to  pay 
before  the  time;  permission  to  trade  taken  away,  and 
themselves  expelled  from  the  trading  companies ;  cut  off 
from  all  intercourse  with  their  people,  social,  domestic,  and 
commercial;  cast  into  prison  and  cruelly  bastinadoed; 
children  turned  out  of  doors  by  their  parents ;  the  sick, 
the  infirm  and  the  aged  dragged  from  their  very  beds  into 
the  streets,  and  left  without  a  shelter ;  water-carriers,  v/ho 
are  Armenians,  will  neither  bring  them  water,  nor  bakers, 
bread.  Nothing  but  the  want  of  power  in  the  Patriarch 
was  wanting  to  have  consummated  this  persecution  in  all 
the  virulence  and  madness  of  the  bloodiest  days  of  the 
Romish  inquisition. 

But  our  business  is  with  the  hand  of  God  in  this 
strange  afiair.  What  has  God  brought  out  of  it  ?  Al- 
ready have  we  seen  enough  to  regard  it  as  an  essential 
and  active  element  in  the  renovation  of  that  rising  na- 
tion. Doubtless  we  shall  see  more ;  but  already  enough 
appears  to  kindle  our  admiration,  and  to  vindicate  the 
ways  of  God  in  this  seemingly  mysterious  catastrophe. 

1.  If  not  the  most  obvious,  perhaps  the  most  far-reach- 
ing result  of  the  late  persecution,  is  the  practical  recog- 
nition, the  formal  embodiment  of  the  great  principle  of 
religious  toleration  throughout  the  Turkish  empire.  And 
this,  too,  in  the  very  capital,  immediately  under  the  eyes 
of  the  Sultan  himself,  and  of  the  highest  dignitaries  of  the 
Mohammedan  creed.  We  can  scarcely  attach  too  much 
importance  to  this  event.  It  has  relations  to  society,  to 
the  spread  of  the  gospel  in  those  countries,  and  to  the 
whole  civilized  world,  which  it  is  scarcely  possible  for  us  to 
appreciate.  "  It  is  a  vast  step  in  the  breaking  up  of  the 
stagnant  pool  of  Oriental  mind  and  character,  and  cannot 
but  be  the  precursor  of  great  and  wide-spread  blessings." 
Yet  how  unexpectedly  brought  about.     The  Patriarch 


A    NEW    CHURCH    ORGANIZATION.  327 

pronounces  an  anathema  on  the  scripture-readers ;  a 
cruel  persecution  follows ;  many  a  good  man  suffers ; 
yet  his  faith  is  tried,  he  is  invigorated  for  the  warfare 
which  must  sooner  or  later  come.  The  Sublime  Porte  is 
moved  by  this  unreasonable  severity  to  interpose  his 
mighty  arm,  and  come  to  the  help  of  the  persecuted,  suf- 
fering Armenians.  The  crescent  protects  the  cross. 
The  power  of  the  state  throws  its  arms  around  the  Ar- 
menian converts,  and  saves  them  from  the  fury  of  their 
persecutors.  The  Moslem  is  still,  and  he  always  has  been 
the  sworn  foe  of  a  corrupt  Christianity  and  a  persecuting 
church. 

The  Grand  Vizier  of  the  Turkish  government,  Reshed 
Pasha,  and  one  of  the  most  enlightened  and  liberal  men 
in  the  empire,  whom  Providence  had  prepared  by  foreign 
travel  and  a  residence  at  the  most  enlightened  courts  in 
Europe,  for  the  part  he  would  now  have  him  act,  acts  a 
most  important  part  in  the  whole  affair.  The  Sultan  re- 
cognizes the  existence  of  the  evangelical  Armenians  as  a 
protestant  church  in  the  Turkish  dominions — sends  out 
an  edict  in  favor  of  religious  toleration,  and  the  mission- 
aries and  scripture-readers  enjoy  a  measure  of  freedom 
unknown  to  them  before. 

2.  The  persecution  not  only  opened  the  way,  but  laid 
a  necessity  on  the  evangelical  party  to  seek  a  new  church 
organization.  The  time  had  come  for  God  to  emancipate 
his  church  from  a  most  unnatural  alliance,  and  this  Pa- 
triarch seemed  raised  up  for  this  very  purpose.  Like 
Pharaoh,  he  was  allowed  to  persecute  just  so  far,  and  no 
farther,  than  needful  to  show  the  impossibility  of  the 
evangelical  party  longer  remaining  in  connection  with 
his  corrupt  church.  Thrust  out  from  their  cruel  mother, 
they  are  now  forced  to  seek  an  organization  of  their  own, 
which  they  may,  at  once,  fix  on  the  New  Testament 
basis ;  a  measure  of  immense  moment  to  the  successful 
progress  of  Christianity  in  the  Armenian  nation,  and  per- 
haps throughout  the  whole  Turkish  empire.  Nothing 
could  so  effectually  have  brought  about  an  event  so  much 
to  be  desired  by  the  mission,  and  so  much  to  be  dreaded 
by  the  Patriarch,  as  the  persecution  in  question. 

Hitherto  the  mission  had  avoided  all  interference  with 


328  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

the  church  relationships  of  their  converts,  laboring  to  save 
souls  rather  than  to  sever  men  from  a  corrupt  church. 
The  difficulties  attending  the  existing  state  of  things  were 
thickening  upon  them  daily,  and  all  human  sagacity  was 
found  inadequate  to  devise  a  mode  of  relief.  The  lion 
seemed  too  fierce  and  mighty  to  beard,  yet  the  lion  him- 
self is  left  to  open  the  way  of  escape  to  the  lambs.  The 
Patriarch  pursues  a  course  which  leaves  no  alternative 
to  the  "evangelicals,"  but  to  organize  a  new  church. 
Henceforward  we  meet  little  flocks  gathered  almost  im- 
mediately, in  Constantinople,  Nicomedia,  Ada  Bazar, 
Trebizond,  and  Erzeroom  ;  the  shield  of  the  Turkish  gov- 
ernment is  around  them,  and  the  banners  of  God's  love 
is  over  them.  Constantinople  is  said  to  contain  more 
than  a  hundred  converts,  who  are  regarded  as  suitable 
persons  for  church  membership  ;  ninety-three  are  already 
inclosed  in  the  fold  ;  one  hundred  and  forty-three  in  the 
four  churches. 

3.  It  has  served  to  make  evangelical  Protestantism  and 
the  gospel  knoion  to  the  Turks,  and  given  the  world  a  fresh 
illustration  of  the  power  and  vitality  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion. Nothing,  perhaps,  could  have  brought  the  work 
of  evangelism  so  conspicuously  and  forcibly  home  to  the 
Turkish  mind.  The  Turks  had  seen  Christianity  before  ; 
but  it  was  a  Christianity  of  form — the  body,  the  gilded 
corpse,  and  not  the  soul.  Now  the  vital  godliness  of  the 
persecuted  is  brought  into  vivid  contrast  with  the  for- 
malism of  the  oriental  churches  ;  and  to  whom  would  not 
such  a  contrast  bring  conviction  ?  "  The  aspect  of  the 
two  parties,"  says  an  eye  witness,  "  was,  and  is  still  one 
of  great  moral  sublimity.  On  the  one  side  all  the  power, 
influence,  wealth  and  numbers  of  a  great  nation ;  on  the 
other,  fewness,  feebleness  and  poverty.  On  the  one  side 
were  age,  wisdom,  experience,  cunning,  craft,  dissimula- 
tion ;  on  the  other,  youth,  inexperience,  and  utter  sim- 
plicity. On  the  one  side  stood  up  the  whole  Armenian 
hierarchy,  excited  to  the  utmost  pitch  of  hate  and  fury, 
and  arrayed  by  all  the  sacredness  of  antiquity,  and  all  the 
authority  of  the  nation,  and  with  the  panoply  of  civil  and 
ecclesiastical  despotism ;  on  the  other  was  neither  Urim 
or  Thummim,  neither  tabernacle  nor  ark,  neither  priest- 


APOSTOLIC    CHRISTIANITY.  329 

hood  nor  church;  nothing  sacred,  nothing  venerable, 
nothing  to  inspire  terror,  nothing  to  attract  notice,  nothing 
outward  to  encourage  the  least  hope  of  success.  On  the 
one  side  were  cunning  and  falsehood,  and  blasphemy,  the 
thunder  of  anathemas,  the  threatenings  of  annihilation, 
the  cutting  off  of  bread  and  water,  the  driving  out  of  fam- 
ilies and  individuals  from  their  inheritance  and  their 
homes,  from  their  shops  and  their  business ;  the  forcible 
wresting  from  them  of  their  necessary  protective  papers, 
and  thus  exposing  them,  without  the  possibility  of  redress, 
to  all  the  insults  and  frauds  of  the  most  unprincipled  and 
villainous,  to  a  Turkish,  filthy  prison.  On  the  other  side 
sat  patience  and  meekness,  peace  and  truth.  There  was 
joy  in  tribulation.  There  was  the  voice  of  prayer  and 
praise.  The  New  Testament  was  in  their  hands,  and  all 
its  blessed  promises  were  in  their  hearts.  Their  song  of 
praise  went  up  hke  the  sound  of  many  w^aters,  and  re- 
minded me  of  the  singing  of  the  ancient  Bohemian 
brethren  amidst  the  raging  fires  of  persecution."* 

It  was  the  fire  of  persecution,  but  a  fire  that  cast  abroad 
and  throughout  the  w^hole  Turkish  empire  the  bright  ra- 
diance of  divine  truth.  "  I  have  known  many  cases," 
says  Mr.  Dwight,  "  in  which  Turks,  high  in  office,  have 
expressed  their  sympathy  with  our  brethren,  and  say  that 
their  way  was  the  way  of  truth."  And  another  says : 
*'  The  Turks  have  heard  and  learnt  more  of  the  gospel  the 
last  year  than  in  all  their  lives  before." 

4.  This  persecution  has  served  to  give  the  world,  after 
the  lapse  of  eighteen  centuries,  a  fresh  example  of  apos- 
tolic Christianity.  It  has  shown  the  spirit  of  primitive 
Christians  revived  in  the  regions  where  it  had  so  long 
appeared  to  be  extinct.  Martyrs,  bold,  meek,  enduring 
to  the  end,  have  again  periled  all  things,  and  not  counted 
their  lives  dear  in  defence  of  the  religion  of  calvacy.  The 
thunder  and  the  storm  of  persecution,  while  they  have 
left  behind  some  marks  of  desolation,  have  been  followed 
by  a  fresh  and  luxuriant  growth  of  piety,  all  the  deeper, 
all  the  purer  for  the  violence  of  the  tempest.  For  there 
was  reviving  rain  and  genial  heat  amidst  the  strifes  of  the 


Rev.  Mr.  Goodell,  Constantinople. 

28* 


330  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

tornado.  It  is  a  resuscitation  of  primitive  piety,  fraught 
with  rich  blessings  to  the  Armenian  nation,  to  the  Turkish 
empire,  and  to  the  whole  Christian  world.  It  is  the  spirit 
revived,  which  nerved  the  soul  of  Paul,  which  brought 
apostles  to  a  glorious  martyrdom,  which  filled  with  joy 
and  praise  a  noble  company  of  martyrs.  It  is  a  delight- 
ful presage  of  better  days  to  the  church  of  the  living  God. 
The  spirit  of  her  martyrs  shall  live  again ;  the  souls  of 
them  that  were  slain  for  the  word  of  God,  shall  rise  and 
flourish  again  on  the  earth.  It  inspires  with  hope  the 
awakening  energies  of  the  corrupt  and  formal  churches 
of  the  East ;  it  speaks  encouragement  to  the  benevolent 
enterprise  of  Christendom.  It  predicts  the  day  as  near 
when  the  kingdom  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  shall 
be  given  to  the  saints  of  the  Most  High. 

5.  The  late  persecution  is  a  witness  to  the  success  of 
our  mission  to  the  Armenians.  The  outbreak  is  but  an 
expression  of  hostility  to  the  truth — a  fearful  apprehen- 
sion that  the  truth  shall  prevail  and  undermine  the  co- 
lossal fabric  of  error  and  superstition,  as  found  embodied 
in  a  formal,  corrupt  church.  The  Patriarch  and  the  high 
dignitaries  of  the  church  see  their  craft  to  be  in  danger, 
and  they  have  made  one  desperate  struggle  to  save  the 
falling  Babylon.  It  is  an  unwilling  concession  that  truth 
is  mighty — that  it  is  very  generally  diffused — that  it  has 
taken  deep  hold  of  the  Armenian  mind,  and  that  it  is 
likely  to  prevail — a  stone  from  the  sling  of  David  against 
the  head  of  Goliath. 

It  has  done  much,  too,  to  create  a  native  agency  among 
the  Armenians,  and  thus  to  favor  the  work  of  evangeliza- 
tion. It  has  given  character,  and  vigor,  and  zeal  to  the 
native  converts.  It  has  greatly  increased  their  moral 
power.  It  has  assured  them  that  God  is  at  work  with 
them  and  for  them.  It  has  inspired  the  mission  with 
fresh  confidence  and  courage.  It  has,  as  in  the  days  of  the 
persecution  about  Stephen,  scattered  abroad  many  who 
go  everywhere  preaching  the  gospel.  It  has  disburdened 
the  rising  seminary  at  Bebeck  of  a  class  of  ungodly  youth, 
from  whom  the  mission  had  little  hope  of  future  useful- 
ness, and  has  filled  their  places  with  a  greater  number  of 
pious,  promising  young  men,  who,  being  by  the  persecu- 


PROTESTANT    EMBASSADORS.  331 

tion  thrown  out  of  the  secular  employments  to  which  they 
seemed  destined,  were  at  once  brought  into  the  seminary, 
where  they  are  now  preparing  to  be  the  pastors  of  the 
newly  organized  churches,  or  missionaries  to  their  be- 
nighted countrymen. 

6.  It  has  created  a  common  sympathy  among  the  evan- 
gelical Armenians  themselves,  binding  them  together  by 
the  ties  of  a  common  brotherhood  ;  and  it  has  created  a 
common  sympathy  in  their  behalf  throughout  Christen- 
dom. And  not  only  so,  but  locality  and  dejiniteness  are 
now  given  to  the  prayers  and  benefactions  of  those  who 
may  come  to  their  aid  in  this  time  of  need. 

And  it  would  here  be  overlooking  a  very  essential 
providential  feature  in  this  wonderful  work,  not  to  allude, 
at  least,  to  the  care  and  skill  with  which  God  has  provided 
his  agents  wherewith  to  carry  it  forward.  To  say  nothing 
of  the  peculiar  fitness  of  the  missionaries  whom  he  has, 
with  much  care  and  training,  raised  up  and  stationed 
there  for  such  a  time  as  this,  (and  we  should,  perhaps,  in 
vain  look  the  world  over  to  find  the  same  number  of  men 
elsewhere,  so  beautifully  adapted  to  act  in  such  circum- 
stances,) we  cannot  too  profoundly  admire  the  providence 
that  brought  together  in  the  Turkish  empire,  at  that  par- 
ticular time,  such  men  as  Sir  Stratford  Canning,  English 
embassador,  Mr.  Le  Coq,  Prussian  embassador,  Mr.  Carr, 
American  minister,  and  Mr.  Brown,  American  Charge  d' 
Affaires  in  the  absence  of  Mr.  Carr ;  and  perhaps  more 
especially  than  all  others,  Reshid  Pasha,  the  liberal  and 
enlightened  Prime  Minister  of  the  Turkish  Government. 
Rarely  do  we  meet  a  happier  combination  of  talent,  firm- 
ness, Christian  decision,  and  enlightened  tolerance,  than 
Providence  had  thus  concentrated  in  the  capital  of  the 
Turkish  empire,  to  be  used  at  this  very  crisis.  And  the 
Hand  that  provided  them  and  placed  them  there,  has  not 
failed,  effectually,  to  use  them  for  the  protection  and  es- 
tablishment of  his  cause. 

We  may  now  dismiss  the  Ai'menians,  with  the  delight- 
ful reflection  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  engaged  on  their 
behalf.  He  has,  in  a  remarkable  manner,  prepared  them 
to  receive  the  gospel.  He  has  raised  up  a  strong  native 
agency  by  which  to  carry  forward  among  them  the  work 


332  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

of  evangelization — has  created  an  evangelical  literature — 
accumulated  vast  resources  in  the  form  of  printed  matter, 
Bibles  and  religious  books— brought  into  being  an  efficient 
system  of  education — provided  an  active  mass  of  intelli- 
gent, sanctified  mind  for  the  future  progress  of  the  work  ; 
and  given  them  protection  under  the  strong  arm  of  the 
Turkish  Government,  endorsed  and  guaranteed  by  the 
organs  of  the  three  principal  Protestant  nations. 

With  such  elements  of  progress — with  such  prepara- 
tions for  advancement,  have  we  not  the  most  substantial 
grounds  for  the  expectation  that  the  work  of  Christianiza- 
tion  in  that  land  shall  advance,  till  not  only  the  Armenian 
nation,  but  many  tribes  and  kindreds  in  Western  Asia 
shall  be  inclosed  in  the  fold  of  the  Great  Shepherd. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


The  Jews.    Providential  features  of  their  present  condition,  indicating  their  prepared- 
ness to  receive  the  Gospel. 

"  And  as  I prophecied,  there  v)as  a  noise,  and  behold  a  shaking J^ — 
Ezekiel,  xxxvii.  7. 

We  shall  next  turn  to  the  Jews,  and  see  what  an  ever 
active  Providence  is  doing  to  prepare  them  for  restora- 
tion to  the  land  of  their  fathers,  but  more  especially  for  a 
return  to  them  of  the  favor  of  their  God.  The  Jews  have 
a  history  of  intense  interest.  God  honored  them  from 
their  beginning — granted  them  a  rich  and  beautiful  coun- 
try— conducted  them  thither  by  his  own  strong  arm,  sig- 
nahzing  the  whole  way  by  monuments  of  his  goodness — 
preserved  them  two  thousand  years  amidst  the  commo- 
tions of  a  most  revolutionary  period — made  them  the  de- 
positaries of  his  grace  for  the  world — Zion,  his  earthly 
temple,  the  place  of  the  promises,  the  covenants,  the  living 


ISRAEL  S    AFFLICTIONS.  333 

oracles.  And  he  has  made  Israel  the  key  to  empire. 
Kingdoms  rose  and  fell,  prospered  and  decayed,  according 
to  the  good  pleasure  of  God  as  touching  Israel. 

And  the  great  drama  is  yet  in  progress.  The  prelude 
and  some  preliminary  scenes  have  been  acted  ;  a  long  and 
melancholy  interlude  has  interposed,  and  now  the  shadows, 
which  coming  events  cast  before  them,  indicate  the  ter- 
mination of  Israel's  afflictions,  and  the  opening  of  another 
scene  more  resplendent  in  promised  glory  and  Divine 
munificence  than  any  preceding  one. 

The  day  of  Israel's  visitation  came.  The  crown  is 
taken  from  his  head;  the  priestly  robes  fall  from  his 
shoulders;  the  sceptre  departs  from  Judah,  and  he  be- 
comes as  ignominious,  weak  and  poor,  as  he  had  been 
honored,  rich  and  powerful.  Not  a  jot  or  tittle  of  all  the 
evil  spoken  against  Israel  shall  go  unfulfilled.  Their  mis- 
eries begun  with  their  rejection  and  crucifixion  of  the 
Messiah.  When  they  signed  his  death-warrant,  they 
signed  the  death-warrant  of  their  nation.  When  the  earth 
quaked,  and  the  sun  hid  his  head,  their  nation  was  shaken 
to  its  centre,  and  the  sun  of  their  political  existence  was 
covered  in  sackcloth.  When  they  cried,  "  His  blood  be 
on  us  and  on  our  children,"  they  put  to  their  lips  the  cup 
of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  poured  out  without 
mixture. 

But  a  brighter  day  is  dawning.  The  page  of  Provi- 
dence is  at  this  moment  sublimely  interesting  in  reference 
to  the  seed  of  Abraham.  Every  year  brightens  the  signs 
that  the  time  to  favor  Zion  is  near.  The  spirit  of  God 
is  moving  on  the  face  of  her  dark  waters.  An  angel  of 
mercy  is  seen  walking  on  the  troubled  sea  of  Israel's 
afflictions,  saying,  "  peace,  be  still." 

"  These  hones  are  the  whole  house  of  Israel."  "  They 
are  very  many  and  very  dry" — indicating  the  extremely 
depressed  and  hopeless  state  of  Israel ;  hopeless  in  the 
estimation  of  those  who  would  come  to  their  relief,  and 
hopeless  in  their  own  estimation.  The  "noise,"  I  ap- 
prehend, means  the  two-fold  proclamation  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  and  of  Christian  nations,  the  one  proclaiming 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  the  other  proclaiming  by  va- 
rious legislative  acts  and  movements,  the  removal  of  their 


334  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

civil  disabilities,  thus  creating  an  interest  and  sympathy 
on  their  behalf.  While  "  the  shaking,"  on  the  other  hand, 
refers  to  a  movement  among  the  Jews  themselves — a  stir 
in  their  own  camp.  The  "  noise"  and  the  ''  shaking"  are 
related  as  cause  and  effect.  For  the  civil  disabilities  of 
the  Jews,  and  the  neglect  and  contempt  of  nominal 
Christianity,  have  been  the  most  formidable  obstacles  to 
their  reception  of  the  gospel. 

I  may  range  what  I  shall  say  on  the  providential 
features  of  the  present  condition  of  the  Jews,  as  indica- 
ting a  preparation  on  their  part  to  receive  the  religion  of 
the  Cross  under  the  following  heads  : 

1.  There  is  much  at  present  in  their  civil  condition, 
that  indicates  the  returning  favor  of  Heaven.  Nothing 
decisive  or  permanent  was  done  to  remove  the  disabili- 
ties of  the  Jews  till  the  beginning  of  the  present  century. 
The  first  recognition  that  the  Jews  had  rights,  was  made 
in  1806,  by  Napoleon  Bonaparte.*  The  German  states, 
however,  led  the  way  in  actually  conferring  on  them  the 
rights  of  citizens,  and  disenthralling  them  from  the  untold, 
unpitied  wrongs  of  eighteen  centuries.  Other  states  of 
continental  Europe  begun  to  extend  to  them  the  reluc- 
tant hand  of  fellowship.  In  England,  a  single  ray  of  light 
darted  above  their  horizon,  but  was  soon  extinguished. 
An  act  passed  in  Parliament,  (1753,)  in  favor  of  Jewish 
emancipation,  but  was  repealed  the  next  year ;  and  not 
till  the  year  1830,  was  the  question  renewed,  and  then 
only  to  be  lost.  Yet  in  the  same  year  a  bill  in  their  favor 
was  carried  in  France. 

Within  the  last  few  years,  indeed,  successful  attempts 
have,  from  time  to  time,  been  made  to  bring  relief  to  the 
wronged  and  oppressed  Jew.  Amid  recent  commotions 
in  the  East,  the  Jews  in   Turkey,   Egypt,   Arabia  and 

•  We  may  take  the  following  as  a  specimen  of  the  cruel  intolerance  of  the  Romish 
Church  against  the  Jews  :  Speaking  of  the  Jews  in  the  twelfth  century,  Berk  says,  they 
were  special  objects  of  hatred  during  the  ceremonies  of  Easter  week.  The  misguided 
multitude  thought  they  were  doing  a  service  to  the  Redeemer,  whose  suflferinss  they 
then  commemonited,  by  persecuting  the  descendants  of  those  who  had  nailed  him  to 
the  cross.  Thus,  at  Beziers.  every  year,  on  Palm  Sunday,  the  Bishop  mounted  the  pul- 
pit of  the  Cathedral,  and  addressed  the  people  to  the  following  effect:  "You  have 
among  you,  my  brethren,  the  descendants  of  the  impious  wretches  who  crucified  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  whose  passion  we  are  to  commemorate.  Sliow  youi-selves  anima- 
ted with  the  spirit  of  your  ancestors;  arm  yourselves  with  stones;  assail  the  Jews 
Willi  them  ;  and  thus,  as  far  as  in  you  lies,  revenge  the  sufferings  of  that  Saviour  who 
redeemed  you  with  his  own  blood." 


JEWISH    EMANCIPATION.  335 

Algiers,  have  been  recognized  as  citizens,  and  their  hfe, 
property  and  honor  protected.  In  Greece,  in  the  islands 
of  the  Indian  Archipelago — in  vSouth  America  and  the 
United  States,  they  have  flourishing  synagogues  and 
schools  enjoying  governmental  protection.  In  Norway, 
the  prohibition  that  Jews  enter  the  kingdom  is  removed. 
In  Denmark  a  bill  has  been  lately  introduced  in  favor  of 
Jewish  emancipation.  In  England  and  Holland,  the 
Jews  are  exciting  unwonted  interest.  In  France,  Prus- 
sia, Austria  and  the  German  States,  restrictions  have 
been  taken  off;  Jews  are  allowed  to  purchase  estates, 
invest  funds,  prosecute  education  ;  are  eligible  to  office, 
and  allowed  the  rights  of  citizens.  The  Senate  and 
Council  of  Hamburg  have  recently  passed  an  act  in  favor 
of  the  Jews.  And  even  in  the  Pope's  domains,  and  in 
Russia,  the  Jews  have  hope.  Throughout  Tuscany,  they 
enjoy  perfect  liberty,  and  partially  so  in  Piedmont. 

Political  changes  are  every  year  taking  place  in  the 
East,  which  augur  well  for  the  Jews  ;  and  present  ap- 
pearances favor  the  expectation  that  further  changes  will 
soon  so  dispose  of  the  nations  about  Palestine,  that  the 
scattered  remnants  of  Israel  may  be  restored  to  their 
native  land. 

The  late  projects  of  two  eminent  European  Jews, 
Rothschild  and  Sir  Moses  Montefiore,  the  first  to  purchase 
Jerusalem  and  its  environs,  as  a  refuge  and  home  to  all 
Jews,  wishing  to  return  to  a  land  consecrated  by  a  thou- 
sand sacred  associations  ;  and  the  other  to  secure  by  a 
sort  of  lease,  the  possession  of  several  towns  and  villages, 
held  sacred  by  the  Jews,  for  the  purpose  of  colonizing 
there  the  children  of  Israel,  may  indicate  one  means  by 
which  Israel  may  be  reinstated  into  more  than  his  original 
civil  privileges.  Sir  Moses  is  at  this  time  on  a  mission 
to  St.  Petersburgh,  to  negotiate  with  the  great  Autocrat 
of  the  North,  that  the  Jews  of  Russia,  against  whom  a 
barbarous  edict  had  been  issued,  should  be  permitted 
peaceably  to  emigrate.  Sir  Moses  writes  that  "  he  has 
been  graciously  received  by  the  Emperor,"  who  has 
favored  his  wishes  to  visit  his  brethren  of  the  dispersion 
in  Russia,  and  consented  to  the  emigration  of  ten  thou- 
sand to  Palestine,  or  some  other  settlement  which  Sir 


336  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

Moses  may  fix  upon.  The  British  Government  recently 
appointed  a  Consular  Agent  to  be  stationed  at  Jerusalem, 
with  instructions  that  he  should,  to  the  utmost  of  his 
power,  afford  protection  to  the  Jevys.  The  Emperor  of 
Austria  has  recently  issued  two  ordinances  in  favor  of  the 
Israelites,  conferring  on  them  unwonted  privileges. 

2.  Corresponding  with  the  great  poHtical  movement  in 
behalf  of  the  Jews,  is  an  interest  mid  sympathy  on  the  part 
of  the  Christian  church.  Nothing,  perhaps,  more  than 
this,  has  quickened  into  life,  in  many  a  Jewish  bosom,  a 
generous  feeling  towards  Christianity.  The  time  was, 
and  not  remote,  when  the  poor  Jew  was  kept  without  the 
pale  of  Christian  sympathy.  He  was  despised  and  ab- 
horred of  all  men — had  no  home  among  the  nations,  no 
pity  from  the  church.  In  his  miserable  wanderings  he 
had  strayed  into  those  dark  and  frigid  regions  of  humanity 
on  which  the  genial  rays  of  human  kindness  never  shine. 
But  they  that  were  afar  off  are  brought  near.  The 
partition  wall  is  broken  down — the  alienations  of  centu- 
ries removed.  A  generous  warmth  in  the  heart  of  the 
Christian  church  is  winning  back  the  long  exiled  sons  of 
Israel. 

It  is  but  a  few  years  since  the  church  evinced  any  dis- 
tinctive interest  in  behalf  of  the  Jews.  Prayers  were 
offered  of  old,  but  they  were  prayers  without  charity. 
There  was  faith,  but  it  was  faith  without  works.  It  is  a 
matter  of  just  marvel  that  the  early  Christians,  in  their 
laudable  zeal  to  spread  the  gospel,  so  soon  overlooked  the 
Jews.  After  the  death  of  the  apostles  and  their  imme- 
diate disciples,  the  poor  Jew  could  say,  "  no  one  careth 
for  my  soul."  Nor  did  the  glorious  revival  of  the  sixteenth 
century  bring  pity  or  relief  to  afflicted  Israel. 

But  we  live  in  a  day  of  better  promises.  The  daughter 
— the  daughter-in-law  rather,  the  adopted  child,  is  beckon- 
ing the  exiled  mother  to  return  to  the  bosom  of  their 
common  father's  love,  that  they  may  sit  together  in 
heavenly  places,  the  first  last,  and  the  last  first. 

Ecclesiastical  bodies  now  discuss  and  pass  resolutions 
in  behalf  of  the  Jews.  The  press  espouses  their  cause. 
Kings,  and  high  dignitaries  of  the  church,  lend  their  great 
influence.     The  royal  patronage  of  the  King  of  Prussia 


MISSION    ON    MOUNT    ZION.  337 

deserves  particular  regard.  The  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury,  is  Patron  of  the  London  Society,  and  the  Bishops 
of  London  and  York,  Vice  Patrons.  "No  meetinf^s  in 
England  are  more  crowded,  or  excite  more  interest,*^than 
meetings  in  behalf  of  the  Jews." 

It  is  this  feeling  which  has  called  into  existence  socie- 
ties for  the  evangelization  of  the  Jews.  The  most 
efficient  is  the  London  Society.  This  has  been  in  oper- 
ation near  forty  years  ;  has  thirty  stations,  in  France, 
England,  Holland,  Germany,  Poland,  Prussia,  and  among 
the  Spanish  Jews  about  the  Mediterranean ;  employs 
eighty  missionaries,  forty-five  of  whom  are  of  the  house 
of  Israel. 

An  interesting  result  of  this  society  is  the  establish- 
ment of  a  mission  on  Mount  Zion.  This  mission  has  done 
much  to  direct  the  attention  of  the  Jews  in  all  parts  of 
the  world  towards  Jerusalem  and  their  own  best  interest. 
*'  The  church  and  bishop  at  Jerusalem,  says  one,  kindles 
the  hope  of  the  approaching  revival  of  the  Jewish  church." 

Jerusalem  may  now,  again,  be  regarded  as  the  centre 
of  the  Jewish  nation.  Any  influence  exerted  here  will 
tell  on  the  whole  Jewish  world.  For  here  are  Jews, 
resident  or  visitors,  "out  of  every  nation  under  heaven." 
And  not  only  this,  but  the  Jeivish  Rabbis  of  Jerusalem 
maintain  a  constant  communication  with  tlieir  bretJwen  in 
all  parts  of  the  world.  These  two  facts  deserve  regard 
in  all  our  plans  for  the  conversion  of  Israel. 

Another  fact  worthy  of  notice  is,  that,  for  the  first 
time  since  the  Babylonish  captivity,  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage, in  its  ancient  purity,  is  again  a  language  of  con- 
versation in  Jerusalem. 

However  manifested,  the  fact  is  obvious,  that  Christen- 
dom, now  as  by  a  common  impulse,  is  beginning  to  feel 
a  deep  and  solemn  interest  and  sympathy  for  her  elder 
and  long  exiled  sister.  We  have  seen  how  this  interest 
is  manifested.  A  few  other  facts  will  show  how  readily 
the  syynpathy  of  Christian  nations  can  be  drawn  out,  if 
the  arm  of  persecution  be  stretched  out  against  the  Jew. 

I  refer  to  the  late  barbarous  persecution  of  the  Jews  at 
Rhodes  and  Damascus,  (1840.)  The  details  of  this  atro- 
cious outrage  I  need  not  repeat.     It  was  as  if  a  demon 

29 


338  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

of  the  dark  ages,  suddenly  roused  from  his  long  slumber, 
had  re-appeared  on  the  earth,  and,  unmindful  of  the 
age,  boldly  and  bloodily  recommenced  his  old  work. 
Scarcely  has  the  black  history  of  persecution  a  blacker 
page  than  the  brief  one  to  which  I  here  allude.  Atroci- 
ties hardly  paralleled  in  the  foulest  days  of  the  Inquisi- 
tion, are  perpetrated  in  the  nineteenth  century— in  the 
lio-ht  of  this  enlightened  age — in  the  presence  and  in  spite 
of  the  predominant  influence  of  Europe  and  America. 

Those  tragic  scenes  here  supply,  to  all  who  love  to 
watch  the  varying  star  of  Jace>b,  an  instructive  lesson, 
and  one  much  to  our  present  purpose,  as  auguring  well 
for  Israel :  It  is  the  simultaneous  and  deep  sympathy  ex- 
cited  in  behalf  of  the  sufferers  of  Rhodes  and  Damascus. 
Fifty  years  ago  every  Jew  in  the  Turkish  empire  might 
have  been  slaughtered,  and  no  great  sensation  produced 
anywhere.  But  now,  so  changed  is  public  feeling  to- 
wards the  Jews,  let  the  foot  of  oppression  attempt  to 
crush  them,  or  the  bloody  mouth  of  persecution  to  devour 
them,  and  ten  thousand  voices  are  raised  in  one  general 
remonstrance.  Meetings  are  held  in  London,  Liverpool, 
New  York,  Philadelphia,  Constantinople  ;  the  most  cor- 
dial sympathy  expressed,  prayers  offered  to  Israel's  God 
for  their  relief,  and  petitions  sent  to  the  several  govern- 
ments of  Europe  and  the  United  States,  that  these  gov- 
ernments would  make  it  the  duty  of  their  respective 
Consular  Agents  in  the  East,  to  urge  on  the  Pacha  of 
Egypt  the  necessity  of  treating  the  Jews  in  Damascus 
and  throughout  his  dominions  as  men  who  have  rights 
like  his  other  subjects.  And  what  is  more,  these  govern- 
ments listened  to  such  petitions,  and  instructed  their 
agents  accordingly  ;  and  so  promptly,  as  to  indicate  a 
public  sentiment  against  persecution,  strong  enough  to 
prevent  the  recurrence  in  our  world  of  another  such 
scene. 

Thus  are  the  Jews  learning,  for  the  first  time  since 
apostolic  Christianity,  that  the  Christian  church  has  a 
heart,  which  can  be  touched  in  pity  for  the  poor  exiles  of 
Israel ;  yea,  that  the  world,  too,  feel  its  cold  heart  begin 
to  warm  with  indignation,  if,  in  these  latter  days,  upstart 
vandalism  dare  lay  its  uncircumcised  hand  on  earth's 


SHAKING    AMONG    THE    JEWS.  339 

nobility.  Too  long  has  the  poor  Jew  had  but  too  much 
reason  to  regard  Christianity  either  as  idolatry  towards 
God,  or  contempt,  cruelty  and  outrage  towards  the  house 
of  Israel.  The  "  pillar  of  cloud  and  of  fire,"  has  long 
turned  its  dark  side  towards  them,  and  God  has  treated 
them  as  aliens  and  enemies ;  and  now  that  the  light  side 
is  beginning  to  shine  on  them,  we  may  indulge  the  de- 
lightful hope  that  God's  former  love  is  about  to  return. 

There  is  a  "  noise,"  a  sound  like  the  low  murmuring  of 
many  waters,  distant,  distinct,  and  gathering  strength 
with  every  new  commotion,  now  pervading  the  whole 
Gentile  world,  in  behalf  of  the  seed  of  Abraham.  It  is 
the  precursor — it  is  to  a  considerable  extent  the  cause  of 
the  present  movement  on  the  Jewish  mind.  Though  it- 
self not  a  feature,  directly,  of  the  Jewish  mind,  it  is  a 
feature  of  our  times,  which  has  had  much  to  do  in  making 
the  Jewish  mind  w^hat  it  now  is  in  its  favorable  disposi- 
tions towards  Christianity. 

3.  The  "  shaking"  among  the  Jews  themselves.  Re- 
cent religious  and  intellectual  movements  among  them 
indicate  that  the  day  of  their  redemption  is  near.  The 
Jewish  mind  is  everywhere  awake.  Never  was  there 
among  them  such  a  spirit  of  inquiry.  A  few  facts  will 
illustrate  : 

From  a  communication  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Goodell,  Con- 
stantinople, it  appears  that  the  Jews  in  the  metropolis  of 
the  Turkish  empire  are  agitated  by  an  unusual  spirit  of 
religious  inquiry.  Some  are  anxiously  looking  for  the 
speedy  restoration  of  their  nation  to  their  beloved  Pales- 
tine ;  others  expect  the  immediate  advent  of  the  Messiah  ; 
others  doubt  whether  he  be  not  already  come.  "  The 
chief  Rabbis  had  led  them  to  expect  that,  according  to 
their  books,  the  Messiah  must  absolutely  appear  during 
the  year  1840.  A  learned  Jew  occasionally  visits  me, 
and  almost  the  first,  and  sometimes  the  very  first  ques- 
tion I  ask  him  is,  Has  he  come .?"  "  Not  yet,"  has  always 
been  his  reply,  till  his  last  visit,  when,  laying  his  hand  on 
his  heart,  he  said,  in  a  low  and  solemn  tone,  "  If  you  ask 
me,  I  say  he  has  come  ;  and  if  you  will  show  me  a  safe 
place,  I  will  bring  you  ten  thousand  Jews  to-morrow  who 
will  make  the  same  confession."    .1  replied,  "  the  apostles 


340  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

and  prophets  had  no  safe  place  shown  them  to  confess 
truth  in,  but  they  made  the  confession  in  the  face  of 
stripes,  imprisonments,  and  death." 

But  what  more  particularly  demands  attention  here, 
as  a  proof  of  the  awakening  energies  of  the  Jews,  are  the 
PUBLIC  DISCUSSIONS  amoug  them  in  regard  to  the  Talmud- 
and  Rabbinical  traditions. 

The  Talmud  is  a  medley  of  traditions,  claimed  by  the 
Rabbins,  (the  modern  Pharisees,)  to  be  the  oral  laio, 
given  through  Moses,  and  of  equal  authority  with  the 
written  law,  not  unlike  the  traditions  of  the  Romish 
Church.  Bating  a  sparse  sprinkling  of  good  throughout, 
the  Talmud  is  a  mass  of  crude  fables,  superstitions,  and 
absurdities.  From  the  bondage  of  this  yoke  the  Jewish 
mind  is  laboring  to  be  free.  A  large  class  of  Jews,  prin- 
cipally in  Germany,  called  the  Reformed,  have  taken 
strong  ground  against  the  Talmud.  Conventions  of 
Rabbis  and  learned  men  have  from  time  to  time  been 
held,  to  discuss  the  authority  of  the  Talmud,  the  expedi- 
ency of  an  alteration  of  the  liturgy,  a  reform  of  the  ritual, 
and  a  new  translation  of  the  Scriptures. 

Convince  the  Jews  that  the  oral  law  -is  only  of  human 
authority,  and  the  colossus  of  modern  Judaism  will  fall 
to  the  ground.  The  question,  therefore,  before  the  Jew- 
ish mind  is  nothing  less  than  this :  What  is  the  basis  of 
our  religion,  the  word  of  God,  or  the  commandments  of 
men  ?  Precisely  the  question  which  divides  the  Protes- 
tant and  the  Romish  churches. 

British  Jews  have  already  adopted  a  Prayer  Book  which 
is  free  from  all  references  to  the  oral  law. 

Leading  Jewish  writers,  also,  freely  discuss  topics  like 
these  :  the  p'esent  position,  character,  and  privileges  of 
the  Jews,  past  and  present,  their  degradation,  hopes,  and 
fears. 

Another  question  of  much  practical  importance,  and 
much  discussed,  is.  Is  it  necessary  that  Israelitish  worship 
should  he  conducted  in  the  Hebrew  language  ? 

In  some  places,  the  Reformed  Jews  have  organized 
societies,  binding  themselves  to  the  non-observance  of 
Rabbinical  rites  and  injunctions.  They  regard  circum- 
cision as  non-essential,  and  the  promise  of  the  Messiah 


JEWISH    MIND    ROUSED.  341 

as  fulfilled.  In  Gallicia,  there  is  a  secret  society,  the  oh- 
ject  of  which  is  to  undermine  the  authority  of  the  Tal- 
mud, and  the  whole  fabric  of  Judaism.  The  Scottish 
deputation  to  Palestine  found  the  influence  of  this  society 
to  be  working  a  secret,  though  powerful  influence,  among 
the  Jews  in  the  southern  provinces  of  Russia.  "  The 
field,"  they  say,  "in  Moldavia  and  Walachia,  is  ripe  for 
the  harvest.  The  Jews  are  in  a  most  interesting  state. 
Many  here  have  their  confidence  in  the  Talmud  com- 
pletely shaken."  Of  their  interview  with  the  Jews  of 
Jassy,  the  capital  of  Moldavia,  they  say :  "  AH  had  an 
open  ear  to  our  statements  of  the  truth." 

In  France,  Germany,  and  Poland,  there  is  a  very 
general  abandonment  of  Rabbinism.  In  England  and 
Holland  the  Jews  are  catching  the  spirit  of  life  which  is 
abroad  on  the  stagnant  waters  of  Judaism.  In  Berlin, 
the  capital  of  Prussia,  a  writer  says,  "  there  is  an  extraor- 
dinary stir  among  the  dry  bones  of  Israel.  The  time  has 
come  when  they  themselves  feel  dissatisfied  wdth  the 
Rabbinical  and  fanatical  systems  of  Judaism."  A  Jewish 
preacher  recently  said  in  a  public  discourse  :  "It  is,  alas! 
too  true,  that  our  religion  does  not  answer  what  God  had 
in  view — which  is  not,  however,"  says  he,  "  the  fault  of 
Judaism,  but  of  the  Jews.  Our  state  is  certainly  lament- 
able." "  Within  the  last  few  years,"  says  another,  "every 
event  connected  with  the  Jewish  people  has  assumed  an 
intense  interest  and  importance." 

We  may,  then,  well  credit  the  preacher  in  a  Jewish 
synagogue  in  London,  w^ho  recently  said  :  "  We  are 
happily  emerging  from  the  darkness  into  which  persecu- 
tions of  unparalleled  intensity  and  duration  had  banished 
us.  Our  domestic,  social,  and  political  life  is  assuming  a 
brightness,  which  we  feel  assured  will  become  more  and 
more  cheering."  Or,  Lord  Ashley,  who  in  a  late  meeting 
of  the  Jews'  Society  in  London,  said  :  "  At  no  time  has 
the  horizon  been  so  bright  for  the  Jewish  people.  At  no 
time  prophecy  so  near  its  fulfillment.  A  year  ago  no 
imagination  was  lively  enough  to  conceive  one-tenth  ot 
what  we  have  heard  this  day." 

In  Smyrna,  "  there  is  great  freedom  of  inquiry  among 
the  Jews."     Many  families  admit  Jesus  of  Nazareth  to 

29* 


342  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

be  the  Messiah,  yet  retain  some  national  rites.  They 
read  the  New  Testament,  are  weary  of  the  bondage  of 
the  Rabbis,  and  give  an  intellectual  assent  to  Christianity. 
Pointing  to  a  Romish  priest,  a  Jew  says :  "  Our  Rabbis 
and  these  priests  are  alike  impostors."  The  late  Prussian 
Embassador  at  the  court  of  Rome,  declared  that  "  through- 
out the  vast  dominions  of  Germany  and  Poland,  there  is 
a  general  movement  of  inquiry,  and  a  longing  expectation 
abroad,  that  something  will  take  place  to  7'estore  them  to  the 
land  of  their  fathers."  Rev.  T.  Grimshawe  says,  "  A 
vast  number  of  Jews  are  preparing  to  emigrate  from 
Germany  and  Poland  to  settle  in  Palestine ;  while 
throughout  the  whole  of  Europe  and  Asia,  a  general  ex- 
pectation is  raised  among  them  that  the  time  of  their 
deliverance  is  drawing  near.  Throughout  Italy,  the 
same  uneasiness  and  expectation  may  be  observed." 

This  movement  of  the  Jews  towards  Palestine,  whatever 
may  be  thought  of  it  as  an  evidence  of  a  literal  restora- 
tion, is  at  least  indicative  of  a  state  of  mind  not  to  be 
overlooked  in  our  present  discussion. 

In  Prussian  Poland,  especially  in  the  Grand  Duchy  of 
Posen,  the  Scottish  deputation  found  everywhere  ''  an 
open  door  for  preaching  the  word  to  the  Jews ;"  "  the 
state  of  the  Jewish  mind  decidedly  favorable  to  mission- 
ary efforts ;"  "  patient  to  listen  to  the  exposition  of  the 
word  ;"  and  "  parents  manifesting  an  extraordinary,  un- 
suspecting readiness  to  send  their  children  to  Christian 
schools."  "  Twelve  years  ago,"  say  two  indefatigable 
missionaries  in  this  province,  "  the  Jews  would  not  come 
near  a  Christian  church,  nor  converse  on  matters  per- 
taining to  salvation ;  now  they  seem  rationally  con- 
vinced that  Judaism  is  false,  and  that  Christianity  may 
be  true." 

Indeed,  a  spirit  of  inquiry  is  abroad ;  and  multitudes 
who  have  all  their  lives  long  lain  buried  beneath  the  rub- 
bish of  modern  Judaism,  are  beginning  to  emerge.  The 
long  and  dreary  winter  of  Jacob's  captivity  seems  to  be 
nearly  passed.  The  genial  sun  of  the  divine  favor  Js 
beginning  again  to  shine,  and  to  melt  from  their  hearts 
the  ice  of  ages.     And  soon  we  may  expect  the  sons  and 


SYMPTOMS  OF  RENOVATION.  343 

daughtei^  of  Judah  will  take  their  harps  from  the  willows, 
and  in  the  sweet  lays  of  their  own  poet,  sing, 

"Lo,  the  winter  is  passed,  and  the  rain  is  over  and  gone, 
The  flowers  appear  on  the  earth, 
The  time  of  the  singing  of  birds  is  come, 
And  the  voice  of  the  turtle  is  heard  in  the  land." 

Symptoms  of  ever- welcome  spring  appear — marks  of 
resuscitation  among  the  dry  bones  of  Judah.  And  each 
revolving  year  shall  witness  new  developments  of  the 
rising  star  of  Jacob,  till  the  kingdom  shall  be  restored  to 
David,  and  Judah  shall  again  wear  the  crown,  and  bear 
the  sceptre,  and  Jerusalem  become  a  joy  and  praise  in 
all  the  earth. 

But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  this  mental  and 
moral  revolution  has  been  the  work  of  a  day.  The 
leaven  of  reform  has  been  at  work  at  least  for  a  century. 
Moses  Mendelsohn  gave  the  first  impulse  to  Jewish  mind 
in  modern  days.  Himself  an  eminent  proficient  in  liter- 
ature and  science,  he  infused  his  spirit  into  the  minds  of 
his  countrymen.  He  sapped  the  foundations  of  Jewish 
bigotry  ;  and  what  is  more,  struck  the  death-blow  to  that 
corrupt,  tyrannical  system  of  Talmudism,  the  Popery  of 
Judaism,  which  has  done  more  than  all  other  causes  to 
debase  the  Jewish  mind. 

Nothing,  perhaps,  more  distinctly  betokens  the  dawn 
of  a  brighter  day  for  Israel,  than  the  late  efforts  and  im- 
provements in  the  education  of  their  youth. 

In  concluding  this  head  I  cannot  forbear  quoting  the 
very  valuable  testimony  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bellson,  a  con- 
verted Jew  and  missionary  in  Posen,  and  late  candidate 
for  the  Bishopric  in  Jerusalem  : 

"  I  am  more  than  ever,"  says  he,  "  impressed,  that  the 
Jews  are  hastening  to  a' great  crisis.  It  must  be  evident 
to  any  common  observer,  there  is  a  great  movement 
among  them.  This  wonderful  people,  who  for  eighteen 
hundred  years  remained  unaltered,  have  undergone  a 
marvelous  revolution  within  the  last  forty  years,  espe- 
cially within  the  last  twenty.  They  are  in  a  transition 
state.  Thousands,  convicted  of  the  hollowness  and  rot- 
tenness of  Rabbinism,  and,  therefore,  thrown  it  ofl',  feel  a 


344  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

vacuum  in  their  souls,  which  Christian  truth  alone  can 
fill.  The  Talmud  is  sinking  fast,  and  its  giving  up  the 
ghost  cannot  be  far  off." 

Or,  in  the  words  of  another  intelligent  writer,  "the 
Jews  are  entering  upon  a  new  era  in  their  history  ;  their 
position  is  becoming  every  day  more  interesting  to  the 
missionary,  the  student  of  prophecy,  and  the  politician." 
There  is,  indeed,  a  "  shaking"  among  the  dry  bones,  and 
the  sinews  and  flesh  come  upon  them  and  the  skin.  And, 
moreover,  the  spirit  from  the  four  winds  is  breathing  on 
these  slain,  and  they  are  beginning  to  live. 

4.  Hence  our  next  position :  the  Jews  as  disposed  to 
receive  the  Gospel,  and  the  success  of  Christian  missions 
among  them. 

A  few  facts  here  will  confirm  what  has  been  said 
already,  and  show  the  present  condition  of  the  Jews  to 
be  one  of  delightful  interest. 

"  A  surprising  change,"  says  another  resident  in  Con- 
stantinople, "has  taken  place  among  the  Jews  of  this 
city.  Instead  of  persecuting  or  slaying  those  who  show 
inclination  to  Christianity,  or  giving  them  a  hint  to  re- 
move from  the  city,  the  chief  Rabbi  receives  visits  from 
Mr.  Schaffeler,  the  Jewish  missionary,  corresponds  with 
him  ;  commends  his  translation  of  the  Old  Testament  into 
Hebrew  Spanish,  and  urges  it  on  the  people.  Constan- 
tinople contains  from  sixty  to  eighty  thousand  Jews. 

In  Germany  the  movement  is  mighty  and  onward ;  the 
Lord  seems  everywhere  making  way  to  execute  his  work 
among  his  people  Israel — stirring  up  the  hearts  of  many 
to  search  the  Scriptures  and  seek  salvation.  The  young 
men  in  the  universities  speak  publicly  and  boldly  on 
Jewish  subjects.  Whereas,  twenty  years  ago,  they  were 
ashamed  to  be  even  known  as  Jews.  In  Frankfort,  th« 
missionaries  are  surrounded  from  morning  till  evening  by 
multitudes  of  Jews,  opening  to  them  the  Scriptures,  and 
alledging  that  Christ  must  needs  have  suffered  and  risen 
again  from  the  dead.  A  Jew  in  Russia  came  with  his 
wife  four  hundred  miles  to  receive  baptism.  Two  dif- 
ferent deputations  come  to  the  mission  at  Warsaw  to  in- 
quire and  get  an  "  exact  account  of  Christianity."  Mis- 
sionaries at  Bagdad,  and  other  places  in  the  East,  speak 


SYMPTOMS  OF  RENOVATION.  345 

of  many  hundreds  of  Jews  opening  their  houses  for  in- 
struction, and  still  a  greater  number  who  are  prosecuting 
their  inquiries  more  privately. 

"  In  Hungary  are  hundreds  of  villages  where  half  the 
Jewish  population  would  ask  baptism  if  they  might  have 
regular  Protestant  preaching."  A  missionary  writes  :  "  I 
nowhere  find  so  much  work  and  so  kind  a  reception  as  in 
Hungary."  "  In  Prussia  the  spirit  of  inquiry  is  still  more 
general  and  intense.  At  Comitz,  Posen  and  Zempal,  the 
Jews  hear  the  missionary  gladly  ;  his  room  is  crowded  all 
day  with  Jews  and  Jewesses,  to  whom  a  great  number  of 
Scriptures  is  distributed,  and  Christ  crucified  preached 
with  no  bitter  opposition.  They  come  in  crowds,  old  and 
young,  eager  for  books  on  Christianity." 

"  In  Berlin  the  progress  of  Christianity  among  the  an- 
cient people  of  God  is  extraordinary,  and  the  opposition 
of  the  Rabbis  cannot  stop  it.  The  Jews  join  as  by 
dozens,  by  scores,  and  I  hope  they  will  soon  come  by 
hundreds."  There  is,  in  the  single  city  of  Berlin,  one 
thousand  Christian  Jews — one  hundred  baptized  in  a  sin- 
gle year.  Within  a  few  years,  three  hundred  have  been 
baptized  in  the  Hebrew  Episcopal  Chapel  in  London  ; 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  eighty-eight  in  Prus- 
sia ;  five  hundred  and  eighteen  in  Selisia  ;  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty-four  in  Warsaw  and  Kiningburg ;  three 
thousand  and  four  hundred  Jews  are  in  communion 
with  the  Christian  Church.  There  is  no  consider- 
able town  in  Germany  where  there  are  not  found  baji- 
tized  Jews. 

In  Prussia,  too,  as  also  in  many  parts  of  Germany, 
thousands  of  Jewish  children  attend  Christian  schools,  and 
are  instructed  in  Christianity.  "  The  present  state  of  the 
Jewish  mind,"  writes  one,  "is  favorable  to  missionary 
labor.  Throwing  off  Jewish  prejudices  and  the  trammels 
of  the  Talmud,  they  are  anxiously  inquiring  after  some- 
thing new — something  more  satisfactory  than  tlie  puerilH- 
ties  and  outward  observances  of  the  Rabbis.  The  field 
is  ripe." 

In  Cracow,  it  is  said,  that  if  the  means  of  support  for 
proselytes  could  be  obtained,  one  half  of  the  Jewish  popu- 
lation would  become  Christians.     Indeed,  not  only  here, 


346  HAND  OB^  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

but  in  many  other  places,  it  costs  the  Jew  his  very  Hve- 
lihood  to  embrace  Christianity. 

Many  Jewish  fathers  in  Vienna,  and  also  in  Galhcia, 
are  bringing  their  children  up  Christians,  though  they 
prefer  themselves  to  die  Jews, 

"Inquirers  from  foreign  countries  not unfrequently  come 
over  to  England,  for  the  express  purpose  of  investigating 
the  truth  of  the  Gospel." 

Rev.  R.  H.  Hershell,  by  birth  and  honor  a  Jew,  having 
extensively  visited  his  brethren  in  Europe  and  Asia,  and 
heard,  in  their  synagogues,  their  confessions  of  sin  and 
their  earnest  cries  unto  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  their  dis- 
persion, says  :  "  I  found  a  mighty  change  in  their  minds 
and  feelings  in  regard  to  the  nearness  of  the  time  of  their 
deliverance.  Some  assigned  one  reason,  some  another, 
but  all  agreed  in  thinking  the  time  is  at  hand."  While 
dining,  on  one  occasion,  with  the  Elders  of  the  Synagogue, 
and  conversing  on  the  present  condition  of  the  Jews,  one 
said  :  "  Ah,  we  need  a  Jewish  Luther  to  come  among  us 
and  stir  us  up."  When  he  declared  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
is  the  Messiah,  it  excited  little  astonishment  or  opposition. 

Indeed,  I  may  here  quote  the  declaration  of  Professor 
Tholock,  of  Germany,  that  "  more  Jews  have  been  con- 
verted to  Christianity,  during  the  last  twenty-five  years, 
than  during  the  seventeen  centuries  preceding." 

And,  what  is  particularly  encouraging  to  Christian 
effort,  not  a  few  converted  Jews,  and  others  not  converted, 
are  filling  places  of  influence  and  trust,  both  in  the  world 
of  letters  and  of  politics,  both  in  Church  and  State.  Five 
Professors  in  the  University  of  Halle  are  Jews ;  three  in 
Breslau.  The  celebrated  Neander,  Wehl  and  Brenary 
are  Jews — ten  professors  in  Berlin  alone.  Drs.  Lee, 
Stahl  and  Capadose  are  Jews.  So  is  a  medical  professor 
in  St.  Petersburg,  and  eight  clergymen  in  the  Church  of 
England. 

Whether  it  be  in  pecuniary  ability  and  financial  tack, 
or  in  the  higher  walks  of  learning,  or  in  military  prowess, 
or  in  political  or  diplomatic  skill,  the  Jews  are  not  want- 
ing in  men  thoroughly  furnished  for  every  exigency.  The 
Minister  of  Finance  in  Russia  is  a  Jew.  The  Minister, 
Senor  Mandezabel,  of  Spain,  is  a  Jew.     The  late  Presi- 


JEWS    IN    HIGH    PLACES.  347 

dent  of  the  French  Council,  Marshal  Soult,  is  a  Jew. 
So  are  several  French  marshals.  The  first  Jesuits  were 
Jews.  No  great  intellectual  movement  in  Europe,  re- 
marks one,  has  taken  place  in  which  Jews  have  not 
greatly  participated.  Indeed,  not  a  small  share  of  human 
activity  is  this  day  kept  in  motion  by  Jews.  That  mys- 
terious Russian  diplomacy,  which  so  alarms  western 
Europe,  is  organized  and  chiefly  carried  on  by  Jews. 
The  mighty  reformation  now  preparing  in  Germany  is 
developing  itself  under  the  auspices  of  Jews.  It  is 
strongly  surmised  that  the  celebrated  John  Ronge  is  a 
Jew. 

The  daily  political  press  in  Europe,  is  very  much  under 
the  dominion  of  the  Jews.  As  literary  contributors,  they 
influence  almost  every  leading  continental  newspaper. 
In  Germany  alone  they  have  the  exclusive  control  of 
fifteen  public  journals.  An  intelligent  writer  speaks  of  the 
"  magic  power"  of  their  present  intellectual  influence  in 
Europe.  "  For  better  or  for  worse,  they  are  on  the  move. 
Every  month  brings  tidings  of  a  change.  Old  chains  are 
being  severed.  Old  opinions,  associations  and  observances 
are  being  broken  up.  The  harbor  of  Rabbinical  Judaism 
is  left.  They  must  now  either  be  piloted  to  the  haven  of 
truth,  or,  borne  along  for  a  time  by  every  wind  that  blows, 
be  at  length  stranded  on  the  shore  of  Infidelity." 

We  cannot  but  regard  the  Jews  as  on  the  eve — yea,  in 
the  midst  of  some  mighty  movement.  There  is,  on  their 
part,  a  singular  preparedness  for  some  great  change.  They 
are  in  a  transition  state — now  being  ^c/ioo/ecZ  in  every  na- 
tion on  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  in  every  branch  of  prac- 
tical, profound,  and  useful  learning,  and  in  the  various 
functions  of  office — prepared  in  lessons  of  rich  and  varied 
wisdom  and  experience,  to  construct  a  more  perfect  civil 
and  church  polity  than  the  world  has  yet  seen. 

There  is,  doubtless,  Jewish  material  enough,  at  the 
present  time,  to  form  a  strong  body  politic.  They  have 
numbers,  wealth,  intelligence,  industry,  enterprise.  Should 
certain  Jewish  families  in  Europe  suddenly  withdraw 
their  capital,  they  would  cripple  kingdoms. 

These  are  encouraging  features  to  Christian  eflbrts  in 
behalf  of  the  Jews.     Such  material,  if  once  converted  to 


348  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

God,  would  be  mighty  to  the  pulling  down  of  the  strong- 
holds of  Satan  in  the  Gentile  world.  Large  portions  of 
the  Mohammedan  and  Papal  world  are  accessible  only 
through  the  Jews  resident  among  them.  In  Egypt,  Pal- 
estine and  Turkey,  you  find  the  followers  of  the  Arabian 
Prophet  almost  inaccessible  to  the  Gospel ;  yet  you  may 
preach  to  the  Jew.  In  Wallachia  and  Moldavia,  in  Hun- 
gary, Austria  and  Italy,  the  attempt  to  evangelize  the 
blind  votaries  of  Rome,  or  of  the  Greek  Church,  would, 
till  very  recently,  bring  instant  vengeance  on  the  head 
of  the  missionary  ;  yet  he  may,  without  let  or  hinderance, 
preach  to  the  thousands  of  Jews  scattered  there,  and 
through  them,  introduce  the  gospel  throughout  all  those 
wide  realms  of  death. 

Finally,  in  contemplating  the  Jew,  as  he  appears  in  the 
now  passing  scene  of  Israel's  grand  drama,  we  have  before 
us  a  pilgrim  and  a  sojourner,  with  staff  in  hand  and  loins 
girt — a  man /?-om  home,  with  little  to  attach  him  to  the 
soil  of  his  adopted  country,  and  his  heart  as  warmly  sigh- 
ing for  the  hills  and  valleys  of  his  beloved  Palestine,  and 
for  the  Holy  Hill  of  Zion,  as  the  Jew  who  had  wandered 
from  the  fold  in  the  days  of  David ;  and  his  expectation 
of  returning  thither,  as  sanguine  as  were  those  of  the 
waiting  captives  of  Babylon. 

Whether  or  not  such  expectations  shall  be  literally 
realized,  none,  I  think,  will  question  that  the  Jews  are  on 
the  threshold  of  a  great  revolution,  and,  with  the  page  of 
prophecy  before  us,  we  cannot  doubt  this  revolution 
shall  be  a  retuiTi  to  the  favor  of  God  within  the  pale  of 
Christianity. 

Such  are  some  of  the  facts  connected  with  the  present 
condition  of  the  Jews.  Do  they  not  warrant  the  expec- 
tation that  the  time  draws  near  when  the  Father  of  Jacob 
will  again  smile  on  his  wayward,  wandering  children,  and 
accept  their  services  in  their  beloved  Zion  ?  The  bowels 
of  his  love,  the  energies  of  his  Almighty  arm,  are  once 
more  engaged  for  his  ancient  people,  to  restore  them  to 
his  favor,  and  make  them  a  praise  in  all  the  earth.  God 
has  not  cast  off  his  people.  He  has  engraven  them  on  the 
palms  of  his  hand.  He  is  kindly  visiting  Jacob  in  his  dis- 
persion, and  is  calling  his  chosen  from  the  ends  of  the 


REFLECTIONS.  349 

earth.     The  Lord  will  arise  and  have  mercy  on  Zion,  ibr 
the  time  to  favor  her  has  come. 

In  bringing  to  a  close  a  chapter  already  protracted 
much  beyond  the  original  design,  the  importance  of  the 
subject  seems  to  urge  on  us  a  few  brief  reflections. 

1.  The  question  now  so  vigorously  discussed  by  the 
Jews,  assumes  a  double  importance,  from  the  fact,  that  it 
is  the  great  question  of  the  age.  It  is  the  Bible  question. 
Shall  the  church  take  the  Bible  for  her  text-book,  her 
only  and  infallible  guide  in  all  matters  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice, or  shall  the  traditions  of  the  elders,  the  command- 
ments of  men,  the  decrees  of  councils,  be  her  authority  ? 
The  "  shaking"  among  the  Jews  is  but  a  kindred  move- 
ment with  the  present  shaking  in  the  whole  religious 
world.  It  is  the  great  question  that  divides  Rome  and 
Geneva.  And  this  momentous  question  is  likely  to  be 
first  settled  on  Jewish  ground.  And  have  we  not  here  a 
clue  to  the  manner  in  which  the  Jews  shall  exercise  so 
prominent  an  agency  in  the  conversion  of  the  world  to 
Christianity  ?  Having  themselves  settled  the  great  ques- 
tion of  the  age,  broken  down  the  last  great,  and  perhaps 
the  most  formidable  strong-hold  of  the  adversary,  they 
will  come  up  to  the  great  moral  conflict  as  experienced, 
skillful,  valiant  men  and  successful  warriors. 

2.  What  lesson  of  duty  is  here  taught  to  all  who  revere 
the  Messiah,  and  look  and  pray  for  the  speedy  coming  of 
his  kingdom  ;  and  look  for  it,  too,  as  to  come  especially 
through  the  agency  of  the  Jews.  They  are  to  be  as  "  life 
from  the  dead"  to  the  slumbering  nations.  Consequently, 
an  intellectual  and  religious  movement  among  no  other 
people  can  possess  so  much  interest  to  the  Christian. 
The  destinies  of  the  world  are  bound  up  in  the  destiny  of 
Israel.  And  as  we  see  this  destiny  developing,  and  sub- 
limer  scenes  in  the  great  Jewish  drama  transpiring,  we 
can  hardly  mistake  that  a  new  dispensation  is  unfolding 
itself,  more  extensive,  more  sublime,  than  the  world  has 
yet  witnessed.  Every  feeling  of  piety  will,  therefore, 
respond,  with  unfeigned  gratitude,  to  what  God  is  now 
doing  to  recover  the  house  of  Israel ;  every  pious  effort 
be  put  forth  to  bring  Israel  again  into  the  pale  of  the 
divine  favor,  and  of  the  visible   church  of  God.     The 

30 


350  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Jewish  mind  is  ripe  either  for  the  messenger  of  the  gos- 
pel, or  for  the  teacher  of  infideHty.  If  we  do  not  sow 
the  good  seed,  while  we  sleep  the  enemy  will  sow  tares. 

3.  What  kind  of  efforts  will  be  found  more  effectual  to 
the  conversion  of  the  Jew  ?  Whether  for  Jew  or  Gen- 
tile, it  must  be  in  substance  the  preaching  of  Christ  cru-. 
cified ;  but  to  the  Jew,  not  precisely  in  the  same  way. 
To  him  it  is  not  a  new  presentation  of  Christ,  but  an 
identification  of  the  Messiah  already  come,  with  his  ex- 
pected Messiah.  He  is  ready  to  believe,  if  he  can  identify 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  as  the  foretold  Christ.  Hence  these 
*'  dry  bones"  must  be  "  prophesied"  to.  Correct  exposi- 
tions of  the  prophecies  must  constitute  the  burden  of  the 
labors  of  the  missionary  to  the  Jews.  He  must  preach 
Christ  the  end  of  the  Jewish  law  ;  Christ,  the  reality  of 
all  their  types,  the  substance  of  all  their  shadows,  the 
thing  signified  by  all  their  signs,  the  great  sacrifice  and 
sin-offering,  the  Lamb  of  God,  the  Messiah  so  long 
looked  for.  They  cannot  believe  till  they  see  Jesus  the 
prophet  like  unto  Moses  ;  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  a  testi- 
mony concerning  Jesus.  Already  much  has  occurred  to 
force  the  Jewish  mind  to  the  study  of  their  prophetic 
writings.  The  word  of  God  is  becoming  more  and  more 
the  only  authority  in  religious  controversy. 

4.  All  things  are  preparing  for,  and  approaching  a 
crisis  of  intense  interest  to  our  entire  race.  This  is  an  in- 
ference from  a  survey  of  the  present  condition  of  the 
Jews,  as  connected  with  their  providential  relation  to  the 
whole  world.  Any  divine  purpose  fulfilled  towards 
Israel,  or  any  movement  in  their  camp,  involves  in  it  a 
series  of  purposes  and  movements  towards  the  whole 
Gentile  world.  Every  leaf  that  stirs  on  the  mountains 
of  Israel,  is  a  signal  of  a  mighty  commotion  among  the 
nations  ;  every  ripple  on  the  waters  of  Judah,  a  precur- 
sor of  a  storm  that  shall  shake  the  foundations  of  the 
great  deep.  When  God  shall  deign  to  smile  again  on  his 
ancient  people,  and  restore  them  to  their  promised  in- 
heritance, all  that  have  opposed  his  purposes  shall  be 
taken  out  of  the  way ;  all  that  have  wronged  and  op- 
pressed Israel  shall  drink  of  the  cup  of  his  indignation. 
It  shall  be  the  overturning  of  the  world  ;  shall  bring  peace 


THE    NESTORIAN    CIIUllCH.  351 

to  them  who  love  the  Prince  of  Peace,  but  destruction 
to  tiiem  who  have  fought  against  the  Lord's  anointed 
ones. 

Are  you  prepared,  reader,  for  the  coming  of  such 
events  ;  laboring,  watching,  praying,  waiting,  hoping,  till 
the  Son  of  Man  come  in  his  glory,  restore  his  people  to 
his  favor,  avenge  himself  on  their  enemies,  convert  the 
world,  and  take  the  kingdom  to  himself? 


CHAPTER   XIX. 


The  Nbstorians— their  country,  number,  history.  The  Ten  lost  Tribes.  Early  con- 
version to  Christianity.  Their  missionary  character.  The  American  Mission 
among  them.  Dr.  Grant  and  the  Koordish  mountains.  The  massacre.  The  great 
Revival— extends  into  the  mountains.  The  untamed  mountaineer.  A  bright  day 
dawning. 

*'  They  shall  build  the  old  wastes ;  they  shall  raise  up  the  former 
desolations." — Isa.  Ixi.  4. 

We  shall  pass  over  the  Syrian,  Coptic,  and  Greek 
churches  without  any  particular  notice,  not  being  aware 
of  any  thing  in  their  present  condition  especially  en- 
couraging to  the  labors  of  the  evangelist.  That  a  reno- 
vating process  has  begun  among  them — that  the  hand  of 
God  is  at  work,  preparing  the  way  for  the  recovery,  at 
no  very  distant  day,  of  those  lapsed  portions  of  the  one 
great  fold,  we  do  not  doubt.  Already  facts  indicate  such 
a  process.  Yet  the  lines  of  Providence  are  not  distinct ; 
the  point  of  their  convergence  not  certain.  Nor  need 
we  speak  immaturely.  It  is  quite  sufficient  that  we  take 
a  cursory  survey  of  but  one  other  of  these  ancient 
churches. 

The  Nestorians.  This  ancient  people  occupy  the 
border  country  between  the  Turkish  and  Persian  em- 
pires.    They  are  found  mostly  among  the  mountains  of 


352  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

Koordistan,  (the  ancient  Assyria,)  and  in  the  province 
of  Ooroomiah,  in  western  Persia.  The  western  portion 
of  this  territory  is  subject  to  the  Turks,  the  eastern  to  the 
Persians,  while  the  central  portion,  among  the  wild 
ranges  of  almost  inaccessible  mountains,  is  nearly  inde- 
pendent— ignorant  and  barbarous. 

The  Nestorians,  computed  now  at  150,000,  are  the 
remnant  of  a  noble  race.  They  have  a  history  of  thrill- 
ing interest ;  a  history  not  yet  written,  and  perhaps 
never  can  be.  The  antiquity  of  the  Nestorians,  their 
location,  their  preservation  as  a  distinct  people,  and  a 
Christian  church;  their  doctrinal  and  Christian  purity  and 
spirituality,  compared  with  all  other  oriental  churches ; 
their  entire  exemption  from  idolatry,  and  their  remarkable 
missionary  character,  are  facts  which  bespeak  an  atten- 
tive perusal  of  their  history,  and  which  can  s'carcely  fail 
to  suggest  to  every  reflecting  mind,  that  a  people  who 
have  so  long  been  the  objects  of  an  ever-watchful  Provi- 
dence, are  reserved  for  some  signal  display  of  his  grace. 

An  intelligent  traveler,  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Grant,  who 
recently  visited  them  among  their  mountain  fastnesses, 
has,  with  much  plausibility,  claimed  for  the  Nestorians  a 
Hebrew  origin.  They  are,  he  believes,  the  remnant  of 
the  Ten  Tribes,  which  Shalmaneser,  King  of  Assyria, 
carried  captive  into  Assyria  721  years  before  Christ. 
They  are  found  in  the  very  same  spot  where,  twenty-five 
centuries  before,  God  put  the  Ten  Tribes.  They  resem- 
ble the  Jews  in  features,  manners,  dress,  and  language. 
Their  names  are  Jewish ;  and  tradition,  both  among 
themselves,  and  the  nominal  Jews  that  reside  among 
them,  as  also  among  the  Koords,  assigns  to  them  an 
Israelitish  descent.  And  another  species  of  evidence  is 
produced.  It  is  of  the  character  of  circumstantial  testi- 
mony. Dr.  Grant  finds  in  this  ancient  Christian  church 
certain  relics  of  Judaism  ;  remains  of  sacrificial  customs  ; 
traces  of  religious  vows,  especially  that  of  the  Nazarites  ; 
of  first  fruits  brought  to  the  sanctuary  ;  of  Jewish  purifi- 
cations and  washings  ;  of  the  Passover  ;  of  the  prohibi- 
tion of  eating  unclean  animals ;  of  the  cities  of  refuge 
and  the  avenging  of  blood  ;  the  extraordinary  sanctifica- 
tion  of  the  Sabbath  ;    the  appointment  of  a  High  Priest, 


THEIR    HEBREW    ORIGIN.  353 

and  the  peculiar  structure  of  their  places  of  worship,  in 
which  the  "  Holy  of  holies"  is  still  to  be  seen. 

Though  these  "  beggarly  elements,"  the  relics  of  a  by- 
gone dispensation,  but  ill  become  the  simplicity  of  a 
Christian  church,  they  are  just  what  we  should  expect  to 
find  on  the  hypothesis  that  these  Nestorians  were  con- 
verted to  Christianity  at  a  very  early  period,  and  that 
they  were  Jews  before  their  conversion.  That  the  Ten 
Tribes,  wherever  they  were  at  the  time  of  the  first  pro- 
mulgation of  Christianity,  did  very  early  receive  the  gos- 
pel, admits  of  little  doubt.  For  the  gospel  was,  in  the 
order  of  appointment,  first  of  all  to  be  preached  to  the 
"  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  The  work  of  evan- 
gelization among  the  Gentiles  was  deferred  till  this  prelim- 
inary work  was  done.  Both  the  Twelve  and  the  Seventy 
were  especially  charged  with  a  commission  to  the  seed 
of  Abraham.  And  it  must  further  be  borne  in  mind,  that 
a  full  eight  years  elapsed  from  the  Resurrection  to  the 
calling  of  the  first  Gentile  ;  an  eight  years  of  unusual 
Christian  activity  and  missionary  zeal,  yet  not  a  suspicion 
seems  to  have  been  breathed,  during  this  time,  that  this 
activity  and  zeal  had  the  slightest  concern  for  any  one 
beyond  the  seed  of  Abraham.  At  the  beginning  of  these 
eight  years  occurred  the  notable  Pentecost,  in  which  three 
thousand  Jews  were  converted,  Jews  "  out  of  every  na- 
tion under  heaven."  In  this  remarkable  assembly  were 
Jews  from  the  very  regions  into  which  the  Ten  Tribes 
were  carried,  and  where  Josephus  and  other  historians 
affirm  they  still  were  in  the  first  century  of  the  Christian 
era  ;*  and  these,  the  Parthians  and  Medes  of  Peter's 
assembly,  were  no  doubt  the  first  to  bring  the  gospel  to 
the  notice  of  their  brethren  among  the  mountains  of 
Assyria,  to  meet,  perhaps,  a  ready  reception.  Perchance 
they  had  already  heard  of  Jesus,  the  King  of  the  Jews, 
and  the  longr  looked  for  Messiah.     Perchance  the  "  wise 


*  Josephus  says  :  "  The  Ten  Tribes  are  beyond  the  Euphrates  till  now."— Antiq.  B. 
XI.  Oh.  V.  King  Afp-ippa,  in  a  speech  to  the  Jews,  alludes,  as  to  a  well-known  fact,  to 
their  *' fellow  tribes"  dwelling  in  Adiabene  beyond  the  En)ihrates.  Adiabt-ne  was  a 
name  given  to  the  central  part  of  Assyria,  where  these  Iribts  wire  niaced  by  their  royal 
captor,  and  where  the  Nestorians  are  still  found.  And  Jerome,  the  most  learned  of 
the  Latin  fathers,  very  expressly  and  repeatedly  states,  that  the  Ten  Tribes  were  to  be 
found  in  that  region  in  the  fifth  century. 

30* 


354  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

men  from  the  East"  had  gone  out  from  those  very  se- 
cluded glens,  and  returned  with  the  joyful  news  that  they 
had  seen  and  worshiped  this  King  of  the  Jews.  Indeed, 
the  Nestorians  have  a  tradition,  supported  by  the  predic- 
tions of  Zoroaster,  that  the  Magi  who  visited  our  Saviour, 
went  from  Ooroomiah. 

The  work  of  evangelization,  begun  by  the  converts  of 
Pentecost,  seems  to  have  been  carried  forward  by  certain 
of  the  immediate  disciples  of  our  Lord.  Most  historians 
name  the  Apostles  Thomas  and  Thaddeus,  as  embassadors 
to  the  Parthians  and  the  Medes,  while  the  disciples  Mat- 
thew, Simon,  and  Bartholomew,  together  with  Mares, 
Adeus,  and  Agheus,  appear  among  the  number  who,  at 
this  early  period,  preached  the  gospel  among  the  moun- 
tains of  Assyria. 

Admitting  Christianity  to  have  been  established  among 
the  Nestorians  as  early  as  I  have  supposed,  hy  Jews,  be- 
fore they  were  themselves  more  than  half  emancipated 
from  the  yoke  of  Judaism,  and  among  Jews  who  were 
still  subject  to  the  yoke,  we  should  expect  to  find,  as  the 
result,  a  sort  of  Jewish  Christianity,  a  mongrel  of  Judaism 
and  Christianity,  a  cross  nearer  to  Judaism  than  the 
Christianity  of  the  Apostles  before  the  vision  of  Peter. 
And  the  existence  of  such  a  Christianity  there,  is  in  turn 
an  argument  that  it  was  introduced  at  the  time,  and 
among  such  a  people,  as  I  have  supposed. 

The  Nestorian  Christians  compare  very  favorably  with 
every  other  oriental  church,  in  doctrine,  form,  and  spirit- 
uality. They  have  the  greatest  abhorrence  of  all  image 
worship,  of  auricular  confession,  purgatory,  and  many 
other  of  the  corrupt  dogmas  and  practices  of  the  Papal, 
Greek,  and  Armenian  churches,  and  may  with  propriety 
be  called  the  "  Protestants  of  Asia." 

The  preservation  and  local  position  of  this  people,  for 
the  last  twenty-five  centuries,  is  a  matter  of  intense  in- 
terest. Shut  up  in  the  midst  of  the  munitions  of  the 
rocks,  in  the  place  God  had  prepared  for  them,  they  have 
been  preserved  from  destruction,  while  thrones  and 
dominions  were  falling  to  decay  about  them,  and  the 
world  was  shaken  by  the  heavings  of  a  thousand  revolu- 
tions.    And  especially  during  the  last  twelve  centuries, 


THEIR    MISSIONARY    CHARACTER.  355 

have  they  been  invaded  on  all  sides  by  the  emissaries  of 
Rome,  and  hunted,  like  the  hart  on  the  mountains,  by 
their  Moslem  neighbors.  During  this  whole  protracted 
period  they  have  been  a  little  flock  surrounded  by  raven- 
ing wolves,  yet  the  Great  Shepherd  has  provided  a  fold 
for  them,  and  nothing  has  been  permitted  to  hurt  them. 

Standing  on  the  summit  of  a  mountain  that  overlooked 
the  vast  amphitheatre  of  the  wild,  precipitous  mountains, 
amidst  whose  deep  defiles  and  narrow  glens  are  found  the 
abodes  of  the  Nestorians,  our  late  traveler  thus  eloquently 
describes  the  protecting  hand  of  God  in  the  preservation 
of  this  people  :  "  Here  was  the  home  of  one  hundred 
thousand  Christians,  around  whom  the  arm  of  Omnipo- 
tence had  reared  the  adamantine  ramparts,  whose  lofty, 
snow-capped  summits  seemed  to  blend  with  the  skies  in 
the  distant  horizon.  Here,  in  their  munitions  of  rocks, 
has  God  preserved,  as  if  for  some  great  end  in  the  economy 
of  his  grace,  a  chosen  remnant  of  his  ancient  church, 
secure  from  the  Beast  and  the  False  Prophet,  safe  from 
the  flames  of  persecution  and  the  clangor  of  war." 

We  can  scarcely  resist  the  conviction,  if  we  would, 
that  these  dwellers  among  the  mountains  and  in  the  vales, 
have  been  kept,  as  the  special  objects  of  providential 
care,  for  some  great  and  special  end  ;  and  what  this  end 
is  we  are  now  beginning  to  see. 

But  before  proceeding  to  notice  the  present  providen- 
tial indications  of  the  returning  favor  of  God  on  the  Nes- 
torian  church,  we  must  allude  at  least  to  one  other  feature 
of  this  ancient  church — its  missionary  character.  This  is 
a  remarkable  feature,  especially  when  contemplated  in 
connection  with  the  persecuted  and  oppressed  condition 
of  that  church  during  the  period  of  her  most  laudable 
missionary  zeal.  From  the  third  to  the  sixteenth  century, 
her  missions  spread  over  the  whole  vast  regions  of  cen- 
tral and  eastern  Asia,  amidst  the  wilds  of  Tartary,  and 
through  the  vast  empire  of  China.  Persia,  India,  and  all 
the  intermediate  countries,  from  the  mountains  of  Assyria 
to  the  Chinese  Sea,  had,  to  some  extent  at  least,  been 
made  acquainted  with  the  gospel  through  these  zealous 
missionaries  from  the  mountains  of  Koordistan  ;  while 
Arabia  and  Syria,  and  the  western  part  of  Asia,  shared  in 


356  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

their  indefatigable  and  self-denying  labors.*  As  early  as 
the  fifth  century,  the  Patriarch  had  sent  out  no  less  than 
twelve  Metropolitans,  and  a  corresponding  number  of 
Archbishops,  to  the  very  borders  of  China ;  which  implies 
the  existence  in  those  places  of  bishops,  priests,  and 
churches.  In  the  seventh  century  we  find  them  propa- 
gating their  faith  "  from  Persia,  India,  and  Syria,  among 
the  barbarous  and  savage  nations  inhabiting  the  des- 
erts and  the  remotest  shores  of  Asia;"  and  especially 
in  this  century  did  they  carry  the  gospel  into  China. 
The  Emperor  Coacum,  (from  650  to  684,)  commanded 
Christian  churches  to  be  erected  in  all  the  provinces  of 
China.  The  gospel  was  propagated  in  ten  of  the  prov- 
inces of  the  empire,  and  all  the  cities  were  supplied  with 
churches.  Even  in  the  tenth  century,  the  very  midnight 
of  Christianity,  when  the  light  of  the  gospel  seemed 
scarcely  to  disturb  the  universal  darkness,  except  as  it 
faintly  gleamed  out  from  the  mountains  of  Koordistan  and 
of  the  Alps,  these  intrepid  disciples  were  penetrating  the 
wilds  of  Tartary,  and  lighting  there  the  fires  of  Chris- 
tianity. During  the  darkest  portion  of  the  dark  ages, 
from  the  seventh  to  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century, 
the  Nestorians  were  in  Asia  what  the  Waldenses  were  in 
Europe. 

Such  a  providential  feature  is  full  of  encouragement  to 
all  our  endeavors  to  resuscitate  the  dominant  energies  of 
the  Nestorian  church.  This  church  has  been  signally 
marked  as  a  missionary  church ;  and  she  was,  especially 
in  the  dark  ages,  a  signal  instrument  for  the  carrying  for- 
ward the  work  of  redemption.  Is  not,  then,  every  indica- 
tion of  the  return  of  God's  favor  to  this  people,  full  of  hope 
for  the  whole  Eastern  world  ?  If  once  reanimated  with 
their  former  missionary  zeal,  what  have  we  not  reason  to 
hope  from  their  undaunted  courage  and  untiring  zeal, 
when  the  power  of  the  press  and  all  the  increasing  means 
of  modern  times  are  brought  to  their  aid?  Long  since 
did  the  burning  tide  of  Mohammedanism  sweep  over  the 
fair  fabrics  of  their  missionary  toils  in  Asia,  and  seem- 
ingly prostrate  them  in  the  dust,  yet  w^e  may  hope  a  rem- 

*  See  a  Sketch  of  Nestorian  Missions,  drawn  up  for  the  Miasionary  Herald  for  August, 
1838,  on  the  authority  of  Mosheim,  Assemane,  Gibbon,  &c. 


THEIR    PRESENT    CONDITION,  357 

nant  may  remain,  who,  even  in  those  now  idolatrous 
lands,  shall  be  roused  from  their  long  slumbers  by  the 
trump  which  seems  about  to  shake  the  mountains  of  As- 
syria, and  who,  risen  again,  shall  once  more  stand  in  their 
lot,  witnesses  for  the  truth,  which  they  once  so  fearlessly 
professed  and  beautifully  adorned  in  the  days  of  their  first 
espousals.  Through  them  we  may  renew  their  missions 
in  all  Central  Asia  and  China.  Let  the  present  Patriarch 
feel  as  Patriarch  Tamotheus  did  a  thousand  years  ago, 
and  we  should  need  to  send  very  few  men  from  the  West 
to  evangelize  Asia.  We  should  find  men  nearer  the  field 
of  action,  oriental  men,  with  oriental  habits,  and  better 
fitted  to  win  their  way  to  oriental  hearts.  And  as  the  re- 
turning fire  of  Christianity  shall  again  warm  the  centre, 
may  we  not  expect  its  benign  heat  shall  extend  to  the 
ancient  extremities,  and  China  and  Tartary  again  be- 
come, through  their  instrumentality,  vocal  with  the 
praises  of  our  God  ? 

But  let  us  take  a  cursory  glance  of  the  present  condi- 
tion of  the  Nestorian  Christians,  and  see  what  the  hand 
of  God  is  now  doing  for  them,  and  what  prognostics  there 
may  be  that  their  winter  is  passed  and  their  spring 
cometh. 

The  American  mission  was  commenced  at  Ooroomiah 
in  1835;  just  in  time  to  frustrate  the  nefarious  schemes 
of  the  Jesuits  to  entangle  the  Nestorians  in  the  subtle 
folds  of  Rome.  A  Jesuit  offered  the  Patriarch  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  on  condition  that  he  would  acknowledge  al- 
legiance to  the  Pope ;  to  whom  the  Patriarch  replied, 
"  Thy  money  perish  with  thee."  And  later  still  the  assu- 
rance has  been  tendered  him,  that  if  he  would  so  far  be- 
come a  Catholic  as  to  recognize  the  supremacy  of  the 
Pope,  he  should  not  only  be  Patriarch  of  the  Nestorians, 
but  all  the  Christians  of  the  East  should  be  added  to  his 
jurisdiction.  To  this  the  Patriarch  replied:  "  Get  thee 
hence,  Satan."*  The  providential  interposition  of  the 
American  Board  saved  this  lapsed,  yet  interesting  branch 
of  the  Christian  church  from  a  catastrophe  so  disastrous. 

From  this  tim.e  forward  the  providential  history  of  this 


*  Dr.  J.  Perkins  of  Ooroomiah,  in  the  Bible  Repository. 


358  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

mission  is  full  of  interest.  When  God  would  send  thither 
his  servants,  he  sent  before  them  to  prepare  the  way  such 
men  as  Sir  John  Campbell,  Lord  Ponsonby,  Commodore 
Porter,  Dr.  Riach,  and  Colonel  Shell,  not  to  mention  oth- 
ers of  like  noble  character  and  expansive  philanthropy,  to 
whom  Providence  had,  at  this  time,  given  power  and  in- 
fluence at  the  courts  of  Persia,  and  of  the  Sublime  Porte. 
It  was  through  the  very  timely  instrumentality  of  these 
men,  that  our  mission  found  so  ready  access  to  the  Nesto- 
rians  in  Persia  and  among  the  Koordish  mountains. 
Nooroolah  Bey,  the  fierce  Koordish  chief  of  the  inde- 
pendent Hakary,  who  had  put  to  death  the  German  trav- 
eler Shultz,  the  only  European  who  had  ventured  in  his 
territories,  is  disarmed  and  made  a  friend  by  the  profes- 
sional skill  of  Dr.  Grant.  Being  seized  with  a  severe  ill- 
ness of  which  Dr.  G.  restores  him,  he  is  made  ever  after- 
wards his  friend.  Who  does  not  discern  the  hand  of 
God  in  this  ?  The  raising  up  and  qualifying  such  a  man 
as  Dr.  Grant,  and  the  protection  afforded  him  throughout 
his  hazardous  excursions  among  the  barbarous  Koords,  is 
sufficiently  providential  to  excite  our  admiration.  Such 
travelers  are  few  and  far  between,  and  such  excursions 
are  under  the  guidance  of  a  specially  protecting  Provi- 
dence. Again,  the  general  favor  our  mission  met  from 
the  ecclesiastics  of  the  Nestorian  church,  is  to  be  re- 
garded in  the  same  light.  The  missionaries  were  re- 
ceived as  fellow  laborers,  to  resuscitate  a  lapsed  and  dor- 
mant church.  The  mission  schools  were  welcomed  as  a 
public  blessing  ;  priests  and  bishops  put  themselves  under 
the  tuition  of  the  mission,  and  at  the  same  time  became 
efficient  helpers ;  their  places  of  public  worship  were 
thrown  open  to  the  preaching  of  the  missionaries,  and  all 
strove  together  to  give  to  the  Nestorian  nation  the  Bible 
in  their  venacular  tongue. 

All  seemed  prosperous,  and  a  brighter  day  dawning  ; 
when,  suddenly,  the  heavens  were  overcast  and  portended 
a  storm.  The  Koords  rise  on  the  mountain  Nestorians, 
massacre  a  great  number,  and  drive  others  from  their 
homes.  The  mission  in  the  mountains,  which  had  already 
cost  much  in  life  and  treasure,  is  broken  up.  The  Pa- 
triarch and  the  higher  ecclesiastics,  acted  on,  no  doubt, 


FIRST    MONDAY    OF    JANUARY.  359 

by  the  emissaries  of  Rome  and  of  Oxford,  allow  their  in- 
fluence to  go  against  the  mission.  The  village  schools, 
forty-three  in  number,  are  disbanded  ;  the  two  boarding- 
schools  broken  up  ;  all  looks  dark.  But  it  was  the  dark- 
ness that  precedes  the  dawn.  There  was  a  bow  on  that 
cloud.  God  was  about  to  appear  for  his  down-cast  peo- 
ple, and  to  prosper  the  labors  of  his  faithful  servants. 

A  delightful  presage  of  what  God  was  now  about  to  do, 
had  been  given  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1844.  While 
assembled  on  the  first  Monday  of  January,  there  appeared 
an  unusual  seriousness,  betokening  the  presence  of  the 
Spirit.  The  result  was  the  conversion  of  a  few  individ- 
uals, mostly  young  men  from  the  seminary.  During  the 
next  two  years  the  mission  was  not  left  without  tokens, 
from  time  to  time,  of  a  work  of  grace.  But  the  year 
1846,  was  the  year  of  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord.  While 
the  little  church  were  again  assembled  on  the  first  Mon- 
day of  January,  praying  for  the  descent  of  the  Spirit,  the 
windows  of  heaven  were  opened,  and  a  copious  blessing 
came  down.  The  first  cases  of  inquiry  appeared  in  Miss 
Fisk's  school.  Almost  simultaneously,  similar  scenes 
were  witnessed  in  Mr.  Stoddard's  seminary.  From  that 
good  hour  the  work  extended  through  the  year,  and  over 
the  plains  of  Ooroomiah,  and  among  the  mountains  of 
Koordistan,  till,  in  the  judgment  of  charity,  it  has  num- 
bered near  two  hundred  hopeful  conversions.  Indeed,  no 
number  can  safely  be  named.  The  eifect  is  well  nigh 
national.  The  common  mind  has  been  moved.  While 
a  large  number  have  been  converted,  a  vastly  larger 
number  have  been  brought  under  the  influence  of  evan- 
gelical truth,  and  may  be  said  to  be  in  a  state  of  inquiry. 
It  has  never  been  the  writer's  privilege  to  be  made  ac- 
quainted with  a  revival  of  religion  which  bears  more 
marks  of  a  genuine  work  of  grace.  If  deep  and  pungent 
convictions — abasing,  self-loathing  views  of  sin — if  still- 
ness and  solemnity,  prayers  and  tears,  be  an  indication  of 
a  work  of  the  Spirit;  if  ecstatic  views  of  pardoning  love 
and  joy  in  sins  forgiven  ;  zeal  for  the  honor  of  Christ ; 
tenderness  of  conscience,  and  ardent  solicitude  for  the 
salvation  of  others,  be  evidence  of  a  gracious  work,  such 
a  work  was  witnessed  among  the  Nestorians. 


360  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

But  it  does  not  fall  within  the  limits  of  our  present 
plan  to  go  into  the  details  of  the  work,  truly  interesting 
as  they  are.  We  are  to  contemplate  it  only  as  a  pi^ovi- 
dential  measure  p-eparatoiy  to  future  progress. 

And  the  first  thing  which  demands  our  attention  is,  the 
moral  power  for  the  evangelization  of  the  Nestorian  na- 
tion, which  Providence  created  and  secured  by  this  re- 
vival. Mind  is  hereby  sanctified  and  prepared  for  moral 
activity.  But  it  is  not  the  amount  of  mind  now  brought 
into  the  work,  so  much  as  its  character,  which  develops 
the  providential  bearing  of  the  revival.  The  same  num- 
ber of  souls  might  have  been  converted,  and  yet  no  great 
moral  result  follow  to  the  church  and  nation  at  large. 
But  when  we  recur  to  the  character  of  the  converts — 
bishops,  priests,  deacons,  members  of  the  Patriarch's  fam- 
ily ;  the  most  influential  part  of  the  nation ;  nearly  all 
that  portion  of  the  youth  of  the  nation  who  are  in  the 
process  of  receiving  an  education,  and,  of  consequence, 
being  prepared  to  exercise  a  controlling  influence  in  time 
to  come,  we  discover  the  finger  of  God  at  work  there  in 
reference  to  some  great,  prospective  good.  Here  are 
provided  mental  and  moral  resources,  which  we  may  con- 
fidently expect  shall  be  employed  for  an  adequate  end. 
Does  God  design  to  convert  this  ancient  people,  and  re- 
vive this  ancient  church,  that  he  may  again  employ  them 
as  they  were  nobly  employed  a  thousand  years  ago  in  the 
work  of  evangelizing  Asia,  he  has  provided  himself  with 
just  such  instruments  as  we  should  expect. 

Another  providential  feature  of  this  revival  is,  its  difusive 
character,  and  the  long  time  of  its  continuance.  These  two 
features  blended,  exhibit  a  beautiful  providence.  It  was 
widely  extended  because  it  was  long  continued.  It  was 
continued  till  the  seminaries  should  have  their  vacations, 
and  a  large  number  of  the  recently  converted  should  be 
scattered  through  the  villages  and  among  the  mountains, 
everywhere  carrying  with  them  the  light  and  love  of  the 
gospel,  and  kindling  a  flame  in  the  bosom  of  their  several 
family  circles,  and  in  their  neighborhoods ;  and,  till  the 
inhabitants  of  the  mountains  should  witness  the  wonderful 
power  of  God,  and  many  of  the  mountaineers  become  vi- 
tally interested  in  the  work.     The  most  interesting  sea- 


THE  MASSACRE  AND  THE  REVIVAL.        361 

son  vs^as  in  the  winter,  when  thousands  of  the  poor  mount- 
aineers are  forced  down  to  the  plain  of  Ooroomiah  to 
seek  food.     They  now  found  the  bread  of  Hfe,  and  re- 
turned rejoicing  in  the  fuUness  of  Christ.     But  there  is  at 
this  point  a  yet  more  remarkable  providence  to  be  no- 
ticed.    The  unprovoked  and  shocking  massacre  by  the 
Koords,    had    now   driven    thousands    more    from    their 
mountain  recesses,  where  there  seemed  little  hope   the 
missionary  could  reach  them,  and  forced  them  down  upon 
the  plain,  and  thus  brought  them  in  contact  with  evan- 
gelical influences.     Their   children    were    unexpectedly 
brought  into  the  schools,   their  priests  enlightened    and 
converted,  and  the  people  brought  to  hear  a  pure  gospel. 
And  not  only  so.  but  the  revival  extended  into   the 
mountains.     In  this,  too,  the  hand  of  God  was  signally 
manifested.     An  instance  or  two  will  illustrate  :  A  little 
girl  from  Hakkie,  in  a  mountain  district,  joins  Miss  Fisk's 
school,  and,  during  the  progress  of  the  revival,  becomes  a 
Christian.     Her  father,  an  untamed  mountaineer,  soon 
visits  her.     The  silken  cords  of  a  daughter's  love   are 
thrown  about  him,  and  these  young  disciples  point  him  to 
the  cross  of  Christ.     He   hears  with  indifference,  then 
with  wonder.     Light   increases ;   conviction   presses  on 
him  that  he  is  a  sinner,  and  his  heart  rises  in  opposition. 
He  struggles  with  his  feelings.     The  strong  man  bows  and 
weeps  like  a  child — the  trembling  sinner  becomes  a  peace- 
ful Christian.     This  man  was  deacon  Guergis.     Having 
consecrated  himself  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  he  returns 
home  to  make   known  the  more  excellent  way   to  his 
friends  and  neighbors.     The  light  thus  kx..  'led,  spreads, 
till  evangelical  doctrines  are  promulgated  from  \ 'llage  to 
village  over  the  whole  district.     Many  inquire  the  way 
of  life — many  are  converted.     And  when,   after  some 
months,  the  missionaries  visit  Tergarwer,  the  district  in 
question,  they  meet  a  hearty  welcome,  find  the  people 
everywhere  waiting  to  receive  the  word ;  deacon  Guer- 
gis, who  had  been  a  principal  instrument  in  the  work,  la- 
boring with  great  zeal,  prudence  and  efliciency,  and  the 
good  work  widely  extended  and  extending. 

The  position  of  this  district,  and  the  character  of  its  in- 
habitants, are  represented  as  giving  this  religious  move- 

31 


362  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY, 

merit  a  peculiar  interest.  "  Familiar  as  they  are  from  in- 
fancy with  the  Koords,  accustomed  to  mountain  life  and 
its  attendant  hardships,  they  will  be  able,  if  truly  con- 
verted to  God,  to  carry  the  gospel  into  the  districts  of  Koor- 
distan  under  more  favorable  circumstances  than  our  help- 
ers in  Ooroomiah  can  command  for  some  time  to  come." 

The  commencement  of  the  work  in  Gawar,  another 
mountain  district,  fifty  miles  still  further  among  the 
mountains,  and  more  especially  in  the  heart  of  the  mount- 
ain population,  is  not  the  less  worthy  of  note  as  a  provi- 
dential movement. 

A  rough  mountaineer  from  Gawar,  comes  to  Ooroo- 
miah on  business ;  is  persuaded  to  remain  a  few  days  in 
the  hope  he  may  be  led  to  attend  to  the  concerns  of  his 
soul.  He  is  immediately  made  the  subject  of  prayer  and 
exhortation  ;  is  soon  effected  by  the  truth,  which,  in  turn, 
increases  the  anxieties  of  others  for  him,  and  the  fervor 
of  their  prayers  for  his  salvation.  He  is  deeply  and  pun- 
gently  convicted  as  a  sinner,  and  soon  hopefully  a  new 
creature,  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  He  returns  to  his" 
mountain  home,  with  no  one  to  instruct  him,  sympathize 
with,  or  encourage  him,  and  himself  unable  to  read. 
Months  pass,  and  nothing  is  heard  from  Gawar,  or  the 
mountain  convert.  The  vacation  of  the  seminar}^  comes, 
when  a  younger  brother  of  the  convert  returns  home  and 
finds  there  a  blessed  work  of  grace  in  progress,  which  he 
does  not  a  little  to  advance.  The  mountain  convert  had 
gone  in  the  fullness  of  the  Spirit  and  in  the  power  of  his 
Master,  told  the  simple  tale  of  the  Lord's  doings  for  his 
soul,  exemplified  the  truth  in  a  life  of  prayer  and  simple 
faith  and  holy  zeal,  and  it  was  the  mighty  power  of  God 
to  the  pulling  down  of  strong-holds.  His  honest  labors 
had  been  signally  owned,  and  he  had  prepared  the  way 
for  the  labors  of  other  converts,  who  now  followed,  and 
who  were  more  perfectly  instructed  in  the  way  of  life. 
A  glorious  work  of  the  Spirit  was  the  result,  which  spread 
throughout  the  district. 

Thus,  before  the  missionaries  had  made  their  first 
visit,  an  extensive  work  was  in  progress,  commenced 
without  any  direct  agency  of  theirs,  and  in  a  district  of 
country  hitherto  inaccessible,  and  where,  too,  the  preva- 


THE    NESTORIAN    CHURCH    TO    BE    REVIVED.  363 

lence  of  pure  religion  must  be  peculiarly  salutary  and 
efficient  on  the  neighboring  population,  and  bring  the 
gospel  in  contact  with  the  barbarous  Koords.  It  is, 
probably,  in  this  manner  that  the  gospel  is  to  make  its 
v^ay,  without  observation  or  display,  into  the  mountain 
districts,  independent  of  human  government  or  protection. 

All  opposition  seems  hushed,  and  a  conviction  to  per- 
vade the  common  mind,  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  at 
work  to  revive  the  Nestorian  church.  There  is  almost 
a  universal  readiness  to  listen  to  a  preached  gospel — a 
general  spirit  of  inquiry  pervading  the  nation.  And 
there  is,  too,  an  efficient  and  suitable  instrumentality 
prepared,  to  advance  the  work  till  the  whole  nation  shall 
be  regenerated.  It  has  never  been  the  policy  of  the  mis- 
sion to  organize  a  new  church,  but  to  resuscitate  the  old 
one.  And  present  appearances  indicate  that  what  has 
proved  impracticable  among  the  Armenians,  may  be 
achieved  for  the  Nestorians. 

Already  an  extensive  native  agency  is  in  the  field. 
Ecclesiastics  have  generally  shown  themselves  the  friends 
of  reform,  and  are  the  principal  instruments  in  advancing 
the  work.  Four  bishops  are  pupils  and  helpers  to  the 
mission,  and  a  large  number  of  priests  and  deacons  ;  and 
successors  to  bishops  and  priests  are  pupils  in  the  Mis- 
sion Seminary,  and  converts  of  the  late  revival. 

Says  the  Rev.  Dr.  Perkins  of  Ooroomiah  :  "  The  light 
of  true  piety,  kindled  at  various  points  on  the  plain  of 
Ooroomiah,  and  in  the  neighboring  mountain  districts,  is 
brightening  and  extending,  and  we  have  more  and  more 
evidence  of  the  power  and  extent  of  the  revival  of  last 
year.  Indeed,  in  its  blessed  effects,  this  revival  has  never 
yet  ceased,  but  has  been,  and  is  still,  constantly  advan- 
cing ;  and  where  it  has  taken  the  strongest  hold,  the  entire 
mass  seem  to  be  pervaded  by  its  influences.  Some  of 
our  native  evangelists  are  itinerating  in  remote  districts 
of  this  province,  and  with  encouraging  success." 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  character  of 
the  converts.  No  feature  of  the  late  revival,  perhaps,  is 
more  strikingly  providential,  or  possesses  a  higher  in- 
terest to  the  pious  mind,  than  the  activity  and  zeal  of  the 
converts,  to  extend  the  work   throughout  the  nation — 


864  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

especially  that  the  gospel  be  preached  to  their  brethren 
in  the  mountains  of  Koordistan.  District  after  district  of 
those  almost  inaccessible  regions  has  been  visited,  and 
the  gospel  preached,  as  one  door  after  another  has  been 
providentially  opened,  with  a  zeal  and  self-denial  worthy 
the  days  of  the  apostles  ;  and  soon  we  may  expect  to 
hear  that  those  hills  and  valleys  have  become  vocal  with 
the  praises  of  our  God.  The  hand  of  the  Lord  is  in  the 
thing  for  good,  to  that  long  forsaken  but  truly  interest- 
ing people. 

But  Providence  has  provided  other  resources  there  for 
carrying  forward  his  work,  in  the  form  of  the  press,  of 
education,  and  the  preparation  and  publication  of  the 
Scriptures.  Three  millions  of  pages  of  printed  matter 
have  been  scattered  among  the  Nestorians,  within 
scarcely  more  than  twice  that  number  of  years  ;  and 
an  efficient  system  of  Christian  education  is  preparing 
the  mind  of  a  large  class  of  youth  to  act  for  the  further 
regeneration  of  their  nation. 

Do  not  these  things  indicate  that  the  night,  which  has 
so  long  covered  the  Nestorians,  is  far  spent,  and  the  day 
is  at  hand  ?  And  have  we  not  some  pleasing  indications 
that  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  has  important  purposes  to 
accomplish  through  the  Nestorians — a  conspicuous  part 
to  act  by  them  in  bringing  in  the  latter-day  glory  ? 
"What  position  could  be  more  important  and  advan- 
tageous, in  its  bearing  on  the  conversion  of  the  world, 
than  that  occupied  by  the  Nestorians,  situated  as  they 
are  in  the  centre  of  Mohammedan  dominion  ?  And  is  it 
too  much  to  believe  that  this  ancient  church,  once  so  re- 
nowned for  its  missionary  effi^rts,  and  still  possessing  such 
capabilities,  as  well  as  such  facility  of  location  for  the 
renewal  of  like  missionary  labors,  will  again  awake  from 
the  slumber  of  ages,  and  become  bright  as  the  sun,  fair  as 
the  moon,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners  !  that  it 
will  again  diffiise  such  floods  of  light  as  shall  forever  put 
to  shame  the  corrupt  abominations  of  Mohammedanism, 
roll  back  the  tide  of  Papal  influence  which  is  now  setting 
in  so  strongly  and  threatening  to  overwhelm  it,  and  send 
forth  faithful  missionai'ies  of  the  cross  in  such  numbers 
and  with  such  holy  zeal,  as  shall  bear  the  tidings  of  sal- 


EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED    AND    FORTY-EIGHT.  365 

vation  to  every  corner  of  benighted  Asia.  We  confi- 
dently look  for  such  results,  and  that  at  no  very  distant 
period.  The  signs  of  the  times  in  this  eastern  world 
betoken  the  speedy  approach  of  mighty  political  revolu- 
tions. The  Mohammedan  powers  are  crumbling  to  ruin. 
Christian  nations  are  soon  to  rule  over  all  the  followers 
of  the  false  prophet.  Turkey  and  Persia  are  tottering, 
and  would  fall  at  once  by  their  own  weight,  were  they 
not  upheld  by  rival  European  governments.  The  uni- 
versal catastrophe  of  Mohammedan  dominion  cannot,  in 
all  human  probability,  be  much  longer  postponed."* 
They  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword — 
when  the  sword  shall  be  taken  from  them. 

We  look,  perhaps,  in  vain  over  the  whole  face  of  the 
earth  for  a  spot  where  the  arm  of  the  Lord  is  more  man- 
ifestly revealed  ;  and  we  wait  with  increasing  interest  to 
see  what  shall  be  the  future  developments  of  Providence, 
concerning  this  ancient  and  interesting  people. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


Europe  in  1848.  The  Mission  of  Puritanism— in  Europe.  The  failure  of  the  Reforma- 
tion. Divorce  of  Church  and  State.  The  7/iora;  element  in  Government.  Progress 
of  liberty  in  Europe ;  religious  Liberty.  Causes  of  the  late  European  movement. 
The  downfall  of  Louis  Phillippe.     What  the  end  shall  be. 

''^  I  will  overturn,  overturn^  overturn — till  he  come  whose  right  it 
25."— Ez.  xxi.  27. 

The  time  has  not  come  to  write,  in  the  annals  of  the 
world's  history,  the  Chapter  on  Europe  in  1848.  Yet 
the  time  has  come  to  begin  to  write  such  a  chapter. 
This,  however,  does  not  fall  within  the  province  of  the 


*  Rev.  Dr.  J.  Perkins,  in  the  Biblical  Repository  for  1841. 

31* 


366  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

present  treatise.  It  is  ours  to  take  history  as  we  find  it, 
and  in  its  ever  interesting  evolutions,  to  watch  the  Hand 
of  God  as  He  reigns  in  all  its  events.  Since  the  forego- 
ing chapters  were  prepared  for  the  press,  revolutions  and 
changes  have  transpired  in  Europe,  which  beautifully 
sustain  our  main  position.  Precisely  what  will  come  of 
these  revolutions,  we  have  not  yet  seen  enough  to  pre- 
dict. But  we  are  quite  sure  God  is  in  them,  and  that  He 
will,  in  due  time,  educe  results  which  shall  honor  himself, 
and  signally  advance  the  kingdom  of  truth  and  right- 
eousness. 

We  took  occasion  in  a  foregoing  chapter,  to  speak  of 
the  Hand  of  God  in  the  discovery  of  America,  and  of  the 
controlling  influence  here  given  to  the  Puritan  element ; 
how  it  has  given  existence,  form  and  character  to  our 
government,  been  the  main  spring  of  our  national  pros- 
perity, formed  our  social  relations,  entered  largely  into 
all  our  commercial,  educational  and  industrial  enter- 
prises, and  set  religion  free  from  the  trammels  which 
fettered  her  in  the  old  world,  disrobing  her  of  senseless 
rites  and  more  senseless  trappings,  and  giving  her  a  new 
vitality  :  and  how  this  same  controlling  influence  has 
followed,  wave  after  wave,  the  tide  of  population  west- 
ward, fulfilling  its  mission  none  the  less  effectually  in  the 
remotest  settlements  of  the  West,  by  incorporating  itself 
with  the  heterogeneous  materials  collected  there  from 
every  nation,  tongue  and  kindred,  softening,  melting, 
fusing  and  running  them  into  the  New  England  mould. 

The  Puritan  seems  the  true  type  and  representative  of 
the  Anglo-Saxon  race,  a  race  which  seems  destined  to 
be  a  chief  instrument  in  the  rapid  progress  and  elevation 
of  man.  New  England  is  at  once  the  nursery,  the  re- 
pository and  the  school-master  of  the  whole  nation.  The 
Puritan  element  is  everywhere  the  motive  power.  It  has 
set  in  motion  the  wheel  of  the  manufacturer ;  opened  the 
mine  of  precious  and  useful  metals  and  minerals ;  pro- 
jected our  canals,  railways  and  telegraphs  ;  spread  our 
canvas  on  every  sea ;  covered  our  rivers  and  coasts 
with  steamers  ;  built  our  colleges,  and  given  existence, 
character  and  efiiciency  to  our  common  schools,  and 
published  our  books.     Go  West  or  South,  and  you  will 


THE    REFORMATION    INCOMPLETE.  367 

find  this  same  Puritan  character  telling  on  the  industry 
and  enterprise,  the  thrift  and  prosperity  of  the  people. 
Ask  who  teaches  this  school,  who  the  president  and  pro- 
fessors of  this  college,  the  cashier  of  this  bank  ;  who  your 
lawyers,  physicians,  preachers,  statesmen  ;  who  your  most 
thriving  farmers,  mechanics,  merchants,  manufacturers  ? 

Such  having  been  the  domestic  fruits  of  Puritanism, 
we  are  prepared  to  inquire  whether  there  be  any  foreign 
fruits  which  at  all  correspond.  Nations  have  within  a 
few  years  been  brought  into  a  strange  proximity  ;  and  if, 
as  has  been  affirmed,  our  civil  and  religious  institutions 
are  more  nearly,  than  those  of  any  other  nation,  in  har- 
mony with  the  religion  of  the  New  Testament,  are  we 
to  expect  their  renovating  influence  will  be  confined  to 
America  ?  Truth  is  mighty  ;  and  institutions  which  har- 
monize with  truth,  shall  extend.  Oceans  cannot  hinder 
them ;  national  boundaries  form  scarcely  an  obstacle  to 
their  progress  ;  the  iron  gates  of  despotism  cannot  shut 
them  out.  Truth  is  a  strong  leaven,  and  though  it  work 
unseen,  it  is  sure  to  leaven  the  whole  lump. 

We  hesitate  not,  therefore,  to  assume,  that  the  present 
condition  of  Europe — the  condition  since  the  23d  of 
February,  1848,  is  but  the  carrying  out  and  maturing  of 
the  magnificent  scheme  of  Providence,  begun  in  the  dis- 
covery of  America,  and  yet  more  ostensibly  begun  in  the 
safe  landing  of  the  Mayflower  at  the  Rock  of  Plymouth. 
In  support  of  this  assumption,  the  following  considera- 
tions deserve  attention. 

1.  The  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century,  both  in 
respect  to  civil  government  and  religion,  was  arrested 
before  it  had  completed  half  its  work.  Luther  left  un- 
touched some  odious  features  of  Romanism.  The  Re- 
formed religion  needed  to  be  immediately  reformed.  But 
we  allude  at  present  to  a  single  feature,  whicii,  it  is  be- 
lieved, contributed  vastly  to  check  the  hopeful  progress 
of  the  Reformation.  We  mean  the  neglect  of  the  early 
reformers  to  effect  a  separation  of  Church  and  State.  The 
Christian  church  was  but  half  emancipated.  Like  her 
great  Apostle,  she  sighed  for  deliverance  :  '*  O  wretched 
man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of 
this  death" — from  this  dead  body,  the  State  ?     Puritan- 


868  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

ism  cut  the  cord,  and  the  church  began  to  be  free.  The 
Reformation  did  not  reach  the  depths  of  rehgious  free- 
dom. Next  to  the  usurpation  and  tyranny  of  Rome,  this 
miserable  union  with  the  state  has  inflicted  the  severest 
blow.  Puritanism  proclaims  a  divorce  ;  and  so  univer- 
sally and  successfully  has  the  "  voluntary  system"  been 
adopted  in  this  country,  that  no  sect  would  for  a  moment 
consent  to  such  an  alliance,  if  it  were  proffered.  It  would 
be  regarded  as  death  to  the  vitality  of  religion.  It  is 
under  the  voluntary  system,  that  personal  piety  has  so 
far  pervaded  the  public  mind,  revivals  prospered,  our 
charitable  enterprises  originated  and  sent  the  gospel  over 
the  whole  earth,  and  made  Christianity  so  beautifully  ag- 
gressive. This  is  essentially  American — an  advanced 
step  under  the  favoring  auspices  of  Puritanism — ^but  not 
confined  to  America.  It  has  found  its  way  back  across 
the  Atlantic.  The  little  leaven,  which  was  not  allowed 
room  to  work  in  England,  was  transported  to  America. 
Here  it  worked  successfully,  and  has  returned,  with  the 
accumulated  power  of  two  centuries,  to  do  its  destined 
work  in  Europe,  and  thence  to  fulfill  its  mission  round  the 
world. 

How  this  work  is  advancing  in  England,  the  present 
struggle,  indicated  in  the  term  Church  Reform,  is  ample 
voucher.  The  mass  of  the  English  nation  has  willed  the 
severance  of  the  Church  and  State,  and  Church  and  State 
must  be  severed.  It  is  but  the  sure  consequence  of  prin- 
ciples which  have  taken  deep  root  in  the  English  mind — 
an  effect  so  imperative,  that  neither  the  power  of  the 
throne,  nor  the  pride  of  the  aristocracy,  nor  the  piteous 
remonstrances  of  church  dignitaries  can  long  hinder  it. 
What  the  Reformation  unfortunately  left  undone  for  Eng- 
land, is  likely  soon  to  be  done  ;  and  once  done  there, 
where  will  this  miserable  relic  of  Romanism  much  longer 
find  a  foothold  ? 

The  late  secession  from  the  establishment  of  the  Hon. 
and  Rev.  Baptist  Noel,  of  London,  is  at  this  time  ominous 
of  coming  change.  It  has  undoubtedly  struck  a  blow  at 
this  unhappy  alliance,  which  will  be  felt  throughout  the 
English  Church.  Mr.  Noel  has  sent  through  the  press 
an  explanation  of  the  bold  step  he  has  taken,  and  a  de- 


THE    MORAL    ELEMENT.  369 

fence  of  his  present  position,  which,  if  we  may  judge  from 
the  obvious  merits  of  the  book  itself,  and  from  the  eager- 
ness with  which  it  is  sought  by  thousands  of  all  denomi- 
nations in  Great  Britain,  is  destined  to  exert  a  no  insig- 
nificant influence  in  the  final  emancipation  of  the  Church 
from  the  incubus  of  the  State. 

But  we  have,  perhaps,  a  more  forcible  illustration  of  the 
progress  of  this  feature  of  American  Christianity,  in  the 
present  religious  condition  of  the  continent.  So  accus- 
tomed had  European  Christians  become  to  see  Chris- 
tianity dwindle  under  the  shadow  of  the  State,  that  they 
scarcely  knew  she  could  survive  the  open  sunshine  oi' 
heaven — stand  by  her  own  native  strength,  and  grow  and 
expand  as  the  plant  of  heaven,  unpropped,  unaided,  unfed 
by  the  beggarly  elements  of  the  world.  Yet,  within  a  few 
years,  and  especially  during  the  present  year,  an  aston- 
ishing change  has  been  wrought  there.  The  union  of 
Church  and  State  has  become  irksome  and  offensive  in 
proportion  to  the  progress  of  civil  and  religious  liberty. 
Persons  well  informed  in  the  affairs  of  France,  say  that 
faith  in  the  "  voluntary  system,"  and  the  disunion  of  State 
and  Church,  is  making  great  progress  among  Catholics  as 
well  as  Protestants ;  and  there  is,  in  the  Catholic  church, 
a  great  disposition  to  throw  off*  the  supremacy  of  Rome. 
And  such  a  sentiment,  it  is  confidently  believed,  is  per- 
vading most  of  the  European  states.  The  public  mind  is 
very  generally  agitated  on  this  question.  Societies  are 
formed  for  the  purpose  of  realizing  such  a  result,  and  the 
spirit  of  the  age  favors  it. 

2.  To  Puritanism  we  must  accord  the  honor,  under 
God,  of  developing  a  new  element  in  the  science  of  civil 
government — the  moral  element.  Heretofore,  bayonets 
and  cannon  had  formed  the  substratum  of  governmental 
authority.  Might  gives  right,  was  the  motto  of  kings. 
Certain  men  were  born  to  rule  ;  and  certain  others  were 
as  undoubtedly  born  to  regale  themselves  in  the  royal 
sunshine ;  and  vastly  larger  classes  of  men,  the  masses, 
were  as  surely  born  for  the  king  and  his  nobility,  to  live 
and  toil  for  his  profit,  to  be  ruled  for  his  pleasure,  or  to  be 
*'  flesh  for  his  cannon."  Such  is  government  by  one  man 
or  by  the  few,  who  rule  irrespectively  of  the  suffrage  or 


370  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

the  good  of  the  people.  It  is  a  government  of  force  as 
opposed  to  a  government  of  choice.  The  one  requires 
impUcit  obedience,  the  other  rational  obedience.  Under 
one,  men  worship  gods  they  know  not  whom,  and  obey 
laws  they  know  not  what.  Under  the  other,  reason 
guides,  and  an  enlightened  private  judgment  decides.  One 
is  the  self-government  of  rational  and  moral  beings  ;  the 
other,  the  application,  by  a  few,  of  brute  force,  to  keep  in 
subjection  the  mass.  The  one  makes  freemen,  the  other 
slaves. 

Liberty  was  born  in  America.  Long  had  she  travailed 
in  birth  in  the  Old  World.  Many  a  throe  had  convulsed 
Europe  to  the  very  centre,  till,  in  this  fair  land,  liberty 
first  saw  the  light.  There  had  been  before  much  in  the 
world  called  liberty,  but  it  was  the  mere  glimmering  of 
star-light,  or  the  meteor's  blaze,  compared  with  the  full- 
orbed  luminary  which  now  arose.  Puritanism  gave  birth, 
form  and  ascendency  to  the  moral  element  in  govern- 
ment. From  time  to  time  nations  had  given  signs  of  woe, 
and  sent  up  their  aspirations  for  deliverance,  vindicated 
their  high  claims  to  freedom,  and  gained  a  temporary  re- 
lief. But  it  was  in  America  the  great  experiment  was 
first  fairly  tried,  whether  self-government  is  yet  prac- 
ticable. And,  though  our  ship  has  not  steered  clear  of 
rocks  and  quicksands,  nor  shunned  the  storm  and  tempest, 
yet  we  have  found  our  vessel  sea-worthy,  able  to  ride  on 
the  crested  wave,  and  to  breast  the  roaring  storm.  A 
result  has  already  been  gained,  which  has  demolished 
thrones,  and  sent  disease  and  decay  into  every  system  of 
absolutism  in  Europe. 

The  Declaration  of  American  Independence  passed 
over  Europe,  yet  it  was  as  the  voice  of  distant  thunder. 
It  was  an  ominous  sound,  starting  from  his  throne  the  too 
long  quiescent  monarch.  Yet  the  danger  seemed  distant. 
He  hoped  that  that  cloud,  which  turned  so  dark  and 
threatening  a  face  towards  the  kingly  estates  of  Europe, 
yet  a  face  so  bright  and  promising  towards  the  free-born 
sons  of  America,  would  scatter  with  a  brief  outburst  of 
popular  indignation.  But  the  establishment  of  American 
Independence  came  like  a  thunder-bolt,  or  like  the  shock 
of  an  earthquake,  and  made  thrones  tremble.    France  first 


FRANCE  THE  LAST  YEAR.  371 

received  the  shock,  and,  unprepared  as  she  was,  what  a 
shock ! 

The  French  Revolution  was  a  premature  birth,  and  the 
birth  of  a  monster,  conceived  in  America,  but  gestated 
and  brought  forth  under  auspices  altogether  unfavorable 
to  the  beauty  and  proper  development  of  the  oflspring — a 
monster-birth,  whose  history  is  written  in  violence,  crime 
and  blood.  Yet  it  indicated  the  power  of  the  new  ele- 
ment which  had  been  cast  among  the  nations.  It  was  a 
burning  star  cast  into  a  stagnant  sea.  France  was  un- 
prepared, yet  her  mercurial  sons,  driven  into  a  phrensy 
by  the  first  gleam  of  liberty  that  flashed  across  the  western 
main,  kindled  a  fire,  soon  to  be  quenched  in  blood. 
Though  smothered  and  quenched  for  a  time,  it  burnt  un- 
seen— its  internal  fires  ever  and  anon  finding  vent  in  some 
outburst  for  liberty.  We  need  not  trace  its  several  steps. 
Liberty  was  not  extinct  in  France  from  the  day  of  the 
return  from  America  of  young  La  Fayette  to  the  event- 
ful twenty-third  of  February  ;  nor  did  she  ever  cease  her 
struggle  against  the  incubus  of  royalty  when  a  befitting 
occasion  offered. 

France  has  lived  half  a  century  within  the  last  year. 
What  she  so  long  struggled  for,  she  obtained  in  a  day. 
Year  after  year  the  unseen  Hand  had  been  preparing 
men,  means  and  resources,  yet  all  things  seemed  to  re- 
main as  they  were ;  but  the  moment  of  consummation 
came,  and  all  was  done.  And,  what  may  well  astonish 
the  unbeliever  in  Divine  Providence,  all  was  done  at  the 
very  moment  when  human  sagacity,  and  diplomacy,  and 
skill,  and  perseverance,  were  the  most  diligently  employed 
to  prevent  such  a  result.  Louis  Phillippe  is  driven  from 
his  throne,  the  monarchy  demolished,  and  a  republic 
formed,  just  at  the  time,  and  in  the  manner,  which  seemed 
the  most  unrelentingly  to  mock  all  the  efforts  he  had  made, 
all  the  alliances  he  had  formed,  and  all  the  precautions  he 
had  taken  to  ward  off  just  such  a  disaster.  With  Paris 
so  admirably  fortified  ;  and  a  rich,  numerous  and  influ- 
ential priesthood  for  his  allies  ;  and  the  Pope  as  the  right- 
arm  of  his  strength  ;  and  a  cringing  alliance  with  England 
and  Russia,  there  seemed— there  was  no  human  power 
that  could  molest  him.     Yet  we  see  him  fleeing  from  his 


372  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY, 

palace  and  his  throne,  as  helpless  and  unresisting,  as  if  all 
human  powers  were  in  league  against  him.  Providence 
had  done  with  him  and  with  his  throne,  and  where  is  he  ? 

But  what  progi'ess  has  liberty  made  in  other  States  of 
Europe  ?  On  the  outbreak  of  the  late  French  Revolution, 
the  people  of  Holland  demanded  a  larger  liberty.  The. 
king  is  made  to  feel  the  necessity  of  granting  it.  He 
chooses  new  ministers — proposes  important  reforms  in  the 
constitution,  and  promises  to  govern  agreeably  to  the  na- 
tional will.  The  King  of  Belgium  yields  to  the  liberals, 
and  on  this  condition  keeps  his  crown.  The  kingdom  of 
Prussia  is  shaken  to  its  centre,  and  its  republican  tenden- 
cies are  gaining  the  ascendency.  Poland  is  agitated  and 
ripe  for  revolt;     Venice  is  a  republic. 

But  more  remarkable  than  all,  the  stagnant  waters  of 
Austria  are  all  at  once  thrown  into  a  foam.  The  tide  of 
revolution  came  rushing  into  Austria  like  a  cataract. 
The  Austrians  had  seemed  completely  under  the  yoke. 
Yet,  in  a  moment,  as  unexpected  to  Prince  Metternich  as 
if  the  tenants  of  the  grave-yard  had  awaked,  the  people 
aroused  from  their  long  sleep,  and  proclaimed  democratic 
principles.  Prince  Metternich,  who  had,  for  more  than 
forty  years,  ruled  Austria  with  a  rod  of  iron,  flees  before 
the  vengeance  of  an  indignant  people — an  idiot  monarch 
quits  his  throne — despotism  is  struck  to  the  heart,  never 
to  recover. 

All  Germany,  in  a  word,  is  on  fire— insurrection  is 
everywhere  triumphant.  Germany  was  the  land  of  Mar- 
tin Luther,  the  land  of  reforms,  in  whose  rich  soil  lie 
deeply  planted  the  seeds  of  liberty.  The  waiting  friends 
of  freedom  throughout  Germany  had  felt  the  electric 
shock  from  Paris,  and  saw  that  their  hour  had  come. 
Consternation  and  dismay  seize  the  heart  of  every  abso- 
lute power.  The  people  seem  rising  over  the  continent 
like  the  waves  of  the  ocean,  and  kings  and  ministers  feel 
that  their  hour  is  come.  The  people  are  ripe  for  liberty, 
and  now  is  the  time  to  strike  the  blow  for  rights  too  long 
delayed.  A  German  Parliament  is  convened,  elected  by 
universal  suffrage,  and  composed  of  delegates  from  the 
kmgdoms  of  Austria,  Prussia,  Hanover,  Bavaria,  and  the 
smaller  principalities.     The  objects  of  this  parliament  are, 


THE    POPE    AND    LIBERTY.  373 

to  unite  all  Germany  into  one  confederation — to  relieve 
the  different  states  from  the  oppressions  and  exactions  of 
their  present  rulers,  and  the  more  effectually  to  establish 
free  institutions.  This  parliament  is  truly  a  strange 
feature  in  European  politics,  and  a  more  sure  index  of  the 
real  progress  of  free  principles  than  any  thing  we  have 
yet  seen.  A  promising  feature,  not  of  this  parliament 
only,  but  of  the  French  republic,  is,  that  they  have  pro- 
claimed the  true  American  doctrine  of  non-interference — 
a  delightful  pledge  that  when  the  moral  element  shall  pre- 
dominate in  the  construction  of  governments,  nations  shall 
learn  war  no  more. 

In  Italy,  too,  liberal  principles  have  made  gigantic 
strides.  Constitutional  laws  are  universally  promulgated. 
To  say  nothing  of  Sardinia  and  Florence,  Naples  and 
Milan,  where  the  moral  element  is  allowed  to  take  the 
lead  in  the  formation  of  their  new  governments.  Pope 
Pius  IX.  was  compelled  to  concede  a  constitutional  gov- 
ernment to  the  long-oppressed  and  priest-ridden  people  of 
the  Papal  states.  The  press  is  made  free — laymen  are 
admitted  to  a  participation  in  civil  affairs — an  inde- 
pendent judiciary  is  organized — a  Chamber  of  Deputies 
is  appointed  by  the  people,  and  free  schools  for  the  poor 
are  established  in  every  district  in  Rome.  An  act  was 
passed,  April,  1848,  to  provide  means  for  the  better 
education  of  the  people.  Yet  the  battle  in  Italy  is  still  to 
be  fought.  Here  are  the  strong-holds  of  despotism.  The 
grim  giant,  though  bearded  in  his  den,  and  lying  prostrate 
with  his  deadly  wound,  fearfully  growls,  and  rouses  to  the 
encounter.  Rome  is  divided  against  herself — a  pitiable 
anarchy.  Two  great  conflicting  parties  have  been  con- 
tending for  the  mastery.  On  the  one  side,  the  Pope  and 
his  adherents  ;  on  the  other,  the  political  councils  and  the 
legislative  assemblies  of  the  people.  The  irritation  be- 
came more  and  more  violent.  The  Pope  had  granted 
much ;  the  people  demanded  more.  The  Poi)e  at  length 
becomes  virtually  a  prisoner  in  his  own  palace  ;  the  car- 
dinals dare  not  appear  in  the  streets  ;  many  of  the  priests 
are  ill-treated  and  even  beaten,  and  the  liberals  openly 
declare  that  Pius  IX.  will  be  the  last  of  the  Popes.  But 
the  popular  indignation  against  the  ghostly  tyranny  of  the 

32 


374  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Vatican  remained  unappeased.  Unwittingly  had  the  peo- 
ple been  allowed  to  taste  the  sweets  of  Hberty.  The 
clarion  of  freedom  had  sounded  from  afar.  Crushed  in 
the  dust  by  the  foot  of  the  Beast,  the  poor,  oppressed 
Italians  start  to  their  feet,  awaked  from  a  thousand  years' 
slumber.  The  bow,  too  far  bent,  rebounds  with  a  veur 
geance.  The  Pope  is  driven  from  his  palace,  glad  to 
wrap  up  his  marvelous  infallibility  in  a  footman's  coat, 
and  to  coil  his  once  dreaded  supremacy  in  a  footman's 
hat.  Democracy  is  in  the  ascendant ;  the  temporal  power 
of  the  Pope  is  at  present  suspended.  How  the  struggle 
shall  end,  remains  to  be  seen.  A  coalition  of  Cathohc 
powers  may  restore  the  Pope  to  his  throne,  and  the  power 
of  the  bayonet  may,  for  a  little  time,  keep  him  there.  And 
this  may  be  the  occasion  that  shall  light  the  torch  of  war, 
and  set  all  Europe  in  a  blaze.  All  this  may  be  ;  but  that 
liberty  will  be  again  suppressed  in  Italy  for  any  great 
length  of  time,  and  the  Italians  be  made  to  bow  again  to 
the  yoke,  is  less  problematical. 

Cold  murmurs  of  discontent  are  heard,  too,  from  the 
hyperborean  regions  of  the  Muscovite  Czar.  The  tocsin 
of  liberty  has  been  heard  over  Russia,  and  many  a  brave 
heart  echoes  back  the  sound.  The  Revolution  of  France 
came  on  Nicholas  like  a  thunderbolt.  His  alliances  with 
Austria  and  Prussia  were  disturbed,  his  plans  defeated,  or, 
at  least,  retarded.  Nicholas  received  the  dispatches  an- 
nouncing the  events  of  February  with  amazement.  A 
deadly  paleness  came  over  his  face  as  he  read,  and  the 
paper  trembled  in  his  hand.  A  Republic  in  France !  A 
new  appeal  to  the  nations  against  tyranny !  A  dan- 
gerous experiment  for  kings.  A  death-blow  to  tyrants. 
How  this  Anglo-Saxon  element  mocks  the  divine  rights 
of  kings,  and  proclaims  the  people  the  only  legitimate 
sovereigns ! 

Nor  have  wretched  Spain  and  Portugal  escaped  the 
shock.  A  suppressed  but  deep  indignation  rankles  be- 
neath the  surface  of  those  ill-fated  nations — an  ominous 
calm  that  precedes  the  irruption  of  a  volcano. 

All  Europe  is  in  motion — all  Europe  has  entered  on  a 
new  course  of  action.  Altogether  a  new  principle  of 
government  is  in  successful  operation ;  and  though  we 


LIBERTY    AND    THE    JESUITS.  375 

may  expect  commotions,  and  anarchies,  and  rc-actions 

disorderly  progress,  and  seemingly  disastrous  retrogres- 
sions, yet  we  may  confidently  await  the  establishment  of 
a  new  order  of  things,  which  shall  more  beautifully  har- 
monize with  the  present  advanced  state  of  Christianity, 
knowledge,  and  civilization. 

3.  The  progress  of  ?'eligious  Yiherty  in  Europe  still  more 
directly  illustrates  the  extended  and  the  extending  pro- 
gress of  the  Puritan  leaven  ;  and  indicates,  too,  the  steady 
workings  of  a  sleepless  Providence. 

The  progress  of  religious  liberty  has,  within  a  few 
months,  been  truly  astonishing.  Since  the  breaking  out 
of  the  late  French  Revolution,  the  severe  laws  against 
Protestants  have  been  relaxed  in  every  country  in  Europe. 
In  some  of  these  countries  full  religious  toleration  is  al- 
ready enjoyed.  The  revolutionary  tide  spared  not  even 
the  seven  hills,  demolishing  dungeons  and  extinguishing 
the  fires  of  persecution.  The  right  of  private  judgment 
seems  virtually  conceded,  even  in  Rome.  The  ancient 
Waldensian  church,  the  true  link  between  the  apostolic 
age  and  ours,  has  at  length  been  allowed  liberty  of  con- 
science and  of  worship.  Austria,  despotic  Austria,  "  whose 
frowning  ramparts  presented  no  chink  through  which  even 
one  ray  of  light  might  penetrate  to  the  darkness  within," 
is  now  open  to  the  Bible  and  the  missionary.  In  Ger- 
many all  restraints  to  the  spread  of  the  gospel  are  removed. 
The  Press  is  free,  and  never  was  its  power  more  manifest 
than  at  the  present  moment.  Full  freedom  of  religious 
profession  is  enjoyed.  The  exercise  of  religious  rights  no 
longer  depend  on  the  profession  of  the  Romish  faith. 

And  yet  more  astonishing  has  been  the  progress  of  re- 
ligious liberty  in  France. 

The  zeal  and  prompt  unanimity  with  which  the  Jesuits 
have  been  expelled  from  nearly  every  state  in  Europe, 
not  excepting  Rome,  is  an  undoubted  index  of  the  prog- 
ress of  religious  liberty.  The  Jesuits  are  but  too  well 
known,  the  world  over,  as  the  implacable  enemies  of  lib- 
erty, equality,  and  civilization — the  sworn  allies  of  abso- 
lutism— always  ready  to  use  the  rod  and  the  sword,  to 
stifle  the  first  symptoms  of  liberty,  making  religion  the 
cruelest  weapon  of  oppression.    This  general  and  simulta- 


376  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

neous  rising  against  the  Jesuits,  and  a  growing  aversion  to 
religious  orders,  is  an  unmistakable  symptom  of  the  prog- 
ress of  free  principles.  The  people  of  Europe  have  been 
brought  to  feel  that  liberty  and  the  society  of  Ignatius  can 
never  prosper  together.  Their  expulsion  at  this  time  is 
sio-nificant.  Pius  IX.  had  declared  the  Jesuits  the  strong 
and  experienced  oarsmen  that  keep  from  shiptoreck  the  hark 
of  St.  Peter,  yet  he  was  obliged,  in  obedience  to  the  de- 
mands of  the  people,  to  expel  them  from  the  Papal  states. 
The  concession,  significantly,  bespeaks  the  weakness  of 
Rome.  The  power  of  the  Papacy  is  terribly  shaken. 
Though  still  claiming  infallibility  in  doctrine,  the  Pope 
very  prudently  concedes  that  "  the  Church  must  follow  the 
necessary  requirements  of  the  age."" 

The  opinion  of  a  Romanist  is  worth  something  here. 
The  Tablet,  a  Romish  paper,  says  :  "  The  rising  persecu- 
tion is  not  confined  to  the  Jesuits,  but  is  directed  against 
every  religious  community.  The  Dominicans,  the  Capu- 
chins, the  Augustinians,  have  all  received  unequivocal 
notices  of  their  approaching  fate."  And  he  might  add 
the  "  Sisters  of  the  Sacred  Heart."  While  on  the  other 
hand  it  is  now  not  uncommon  to  meet  Romish  ecclesi- 
astics, who,  disgusted  with  the  mummeries  of  Rome, 
boldly  expose  her  errors — "earnestly  advocating  the 
abolition  of  compulsory  celibacy  of  the  clergy,  the  abro- 
gation of  fasts  and  abstinences,  and  other  Popish  ob- 
servances." 

Thus  is  God  moving  on  in  the  might  and  majesty  of 
his  providence,  overturning  and  overturning,  till  his 
church  shall  be  disenthralled  from  the  bondage  of  the 
world,  and  established  on  the  everlasting  foundation  of 
truth  and  righteousness. 

4.  Or  do  we  inquire  after  the  causes  of  the  great  Euro- 
pean movement,  we  are  again  brought  to  the  same  con- 
clusion. These  causes  had  been  in  secret  and  active 
operation,  at  least,  since  the  American  Revolution,  and 
only  waited  a  favorable  opportunity.  Intensely  did  the 
internal  fires  burn,  and  an  irruption  was  inevitable. 
Liberal  principles  were  daily  gaining  strength.  All 
classes  of  the  people  were  feeling  their  burdens  more  and 
more   grievous,  and   their  growing  discontent  gave  no 


NAPOLEON    AND    LIBERTY.  377 

doubtful  signs  of  an  outbreak.  Radicalism  had  given 
birth  to  numerous  societies  throughout  Europe — many  of 
them  secret  associations,  all  animated  by  one  spirit,  a  de- 
termination to  throw  off  the  shackles  of  despotism.  The 
death  of  Louis  Phillippe  should  be  the  signal  to  strike  the 
blow.  The  French  Revolution,  however,  indicated  that 
the  hour  had  come.  They  arose  by  one  common  impulse, 
and  despotism  quailed  before  them. 

Again,  facility  of  communication  greatly  hastened  such 
a  result.  Books,  journals,  newspapers,  travelers,  reach 
the  remotest  parts  of  Europe  in  a  few  days,  give  timely 
notice  of  change,  and  communicate  every  new  opinion. 
And  all  the  vigilance  and  precautions  of  an  argus-eyed 
absolutism  cannot  shut  them  out.  The  nations,  as  never 
before,  flow  together;  a  common  sentiment  pervades 
them.  An  electric  spark  thrilled  Austria,  Russia,  Italy, 
Poland,  the  moment  an  explosion  took  place  in  France. 

We  discover  another  cause  in  the  fact,  (instructive  to 
kings,)  that  the  potentates  of  Europe  turned  a  deaf  ear  to 
the  cries  of  their  oppressed  subjects.  They  had  neither 
listened  to  their  wants  nor  been  careful  to  keep  their  en- 
gagements with  them.  Napoleon  had  done  much  to  pre- 
pare Europe  for  liberty,  and  when  the  people  of  Europe 
were  called  on  by  the  allied  powers  to  take  up  arms 
against  him,  they  did  it  with  the  promise  that  their  rights 
should  be  respected,  and  liberal  laws  granted.  The  rulers 
promised,  and  the  people  freely  shed  their  blood.  But 
the  danger  past,  the  "scourge  of  Europe"  put  down, 
kings  forgot  their  promises.  "  Austria  did  not  grant  to 
the  Italians  the  institutions  she  promised.  The  king  of 
Prussia  conceded  to  his  subjects  only  some  petty  reforms. 
Germany  was  held  under  a  slavish  yoke."  Poland  was 
crushed.  Italy  was  left  the  miserable  dupe  of  tyranny — 
the  prey  of  every  unclean  bird.  Nowhere  was  there  re- 
spect for  law,  or  security  against  arbitrary  power.  The 
rij^hts  of  conscience  were  systematically  invaded.  The 
judiciary  was  a  mere  tool  for  kings.  "  The  nations  bowed 
their  necks,  but  they  meditated  the  hour  of  deliverance. 
That  hour  is  come ;  they  have  seized  it ;  they  have  risen 
like  one  man,  and  the  well-trained  armies  of  kings  have 

32* 


378  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

scarcely  opposed  an  obstacle  to  the  realization  of  their 
wishes." 

The  day  of  retribution  has  come.  Kings  tremble,  and 
their  thrones  crumble.  The  haughtiest  monarchs,  who 
could  once  insolently  put  their  foot  on  the  neck  of  na- 
tions, now  in  vain  sue  for  mercy  at  the  hands  of  their  re- 
volted subjects.  Deeply,  indeed,  do  they  drink  to  the 
dregs  the  cup  of  their  debasement.  The  last  was  a  hard 
year  for  kings.  Late  have  they  learned  the  humiliating 
lesson  that  kings  are  made  for  the  people,  not  the  people 
for  kings  ;  that  the  rights  of  the  people  are  as  sacred  as 
those  of  princes,  and  that  their  only  chance  for  quiet  and 
safety,  is  to  live  in  good  understanding  with  their  sub- 
jects. 

The  downfall  of  Louis  Phillippe  is  here  ominously  in- 
structive. What  would  a  serious  observer  of  Providence 
expect  would  be  the  end  of  a  powerful  prince  in  the 
nineteenth  century,  who  should  pursue  the  course 
Louis  Phillippe  pursued  ?  Did  he  so  demean  himself  in 
the  high  and  responsible  station  to  which  Providence  ex- 
alted liim — especially  when  we  bring  into  the  account 
the  manner  and  condition  of  his  taking  the  crown — did  he 
so  demean  himself  as  to  guarantee  the  continued  smiles 
of  Heaven  ?  In  many  respects  Louis  Phillippe  was  a 
very  worthy  man.  He  possessed  many  excellent  traits 
of  character.  But  in  his  regal  life,  when  weighed  in  the 
balance,  he  was  found  wanting.  He  did  more  than  to 
commit  fatal  political  blunders.  His  sceptre  was  stained 
with  palpable  injustice  and  outrage,  both  towards  man  and 
God.  He  came  to  the  throne  as  a  liberal  prince.  Heaven 
and  earth  heard  his  vows,  that  he  would  reign  as  a  re- 
publican king ;  would  surround  the  monarchy  with  re- 
publican institutions.  The  people,  w^hose  voice  called 
him  to  the  throne,  hailed  him  as  a  father  and  a  friend — 
the  deliverer  of  an  oppressed  people  from  the  thraldom 
of  Bourbon  despotism.  And  the  Protestant  world  had 
reason  to  expect  he  would  reign,  at  least,  as  a  liberal 
Catholic  prince.  France  and  the  world  too  well  know 
how  he  has  cringed  to  the  most  miserable  system  of  ab- 
solutism. Had  Louis  Phillippe  been  half  so  ambitious  to 
retain  the  good  opinion  of  his  people  as  he  was  to  main- 


LOUIS    PHILLIPPE.  379 

tain  his  throne  and  to  vindicate  his  legitimacy ;  at  least, 
had  he  been  half  so  ambitious  to  render  stipulated  justice 
to  his  people,  he  might  still  have  been  the  king  of  a  pros- 
perous and  affectionate  people.  Or  had  he  been  half  so 
careful  to  act  the  liberal  Catholic  prince,  extending  the 
arms  of  his  regal  influence  to  promote,  wherever  French 
interests  exist,  education,  civilization  and  Christianity,  as 
he  was  to  impose,  by  his  strong  arm,  on  an  unoffending 
people  just  emerging  from  heathenism,  corps  after  corps 
of  Romish  priests,  who,  he  could  not  but  know,  would,  if 
they  acted  in  character,  cripple,  and,  if  possible,  destroy 
every  Protestant  mission  within  their  influence,  he  might 
still  have  been  the  head  of  a  great  and  noble  nation,  on 
whom  should  come  the  blessing  of  many.  That  dark 
page  in  the  history  of  Tahiti,  will  ever  remain  a  darker 
page — an  indelible  disgrace,  in  the  history  of  Louis 
Phillippe.  When  he  directed  his  cannon  against  that 
newly  Christian  island,  he  directed  them  against  his  own 
throne.  Those  missions  live  and  prosper,  while  Louis 
Phillippe  has  gone  into  an  inglorious  exile.  An  influence 
exerted  in  Greece,  flowing  from  the  throne  of  France, 
drove  Dr.  King  from  Athens  and  from  his  mission,  a  tem- 
porary wanderer ;  Dr.  King  has  returned  to  his  work,  and 
Louis  Phillippe  has  bid  farewell  to  his  throne  forever  !* 

We  may  subjoin  as  subordinate  causes  of  his  downfall, 
regal  extravagance,  heavy  taxation,  a  monstrous  army, 
the  fortifications  of  Paris,  opposition  to  electoral  reforms, 
the  press  subjected  to  vexatious  embarrassments,  money 
and  other  favors  lavished  on  the  priesthood,  with  a 
hypocritical  attachment  to  Popery,  hoping  thereby  to 
strengthen  his  dynasty  at  the  expense  of  the  people. 
Like  Saul,  who,  in  his  troubles,  had  recourse  to  the  witch 
of  Endor,  Louis  Phillippe  sought  the  favor  of  the  Romish 
clergy,  flattered  the  bishops,  and  favored  the  establish- 
ment of  monasteries.  But  this  resource  failed  him,  and 
did  but  hasten  his  downfall.  Such  are  some  oi  the 
causes  which  irrepressibly  irritated  the  public  mind,  and 


•  The  very  law  which  had  been  so  often,  of  late  years,  applied  by  Louis  Phil- 
lippe and  his  government  to  impede  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  and  suppress  free  disc us- 
Bi?n,  became,  at  length,  the  occasion  of  his  own  downfall.  Discern  ye  not  the  Hand  of 
Cod? 


380  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

made  the  revolution  inevitable.  The  Lord  was  departed 
from  Saul,  and  he  was  sore  distressed. 

And,  finally,  the  Bible  has  had  much  to  do  in  producing 
the  late  religious  and  political  convulsions  in  Europe. 
The  Bible  is  a  revolutionary  book,  meaning  by  revolutioUj 
an  advance  of  right  opinions,  manners  and  constitutions ; 
a  resistance  of  oppression  and  monopolies  ;  a  demand  for 
liberty  and  natural  rights.  The  word  of  God  is  a  great 
leveler,  which  is  upturning  and  overturning  this  wicked, 
distracted  world,  and  preparing  it  for  a  complete  civil  and 
religious  renovation.  It  is  not  too  much  to  believe  that 
the  million  of  Bibles,  which  have  been  circulated  in 
France  during  the  last  five  years,  have  been  a  powerful 
element  in  the  present  downfall  of  despotism ;  the  break- 
ing up  of  old  foundations  to  make  way  for  better.  And, 
what  is  prospectively  encouraging  for  Fra^ice  and  the 
nations  that  easily  adopt  her  opinions,  the  late  revolution 
has,  in  a  remarkable  manner,  opened  the  door  for  a  more 
abundant  and  effectual  introduction  of  the  Bible. 

Through  the  admirable  system  of  Bible  colportage,  the 
Sacred  Scriptures  are  being  distributed  throughout 
France,  in  every  condition  of  society.  The  cottage,  the 
palace,  the  soldier,  the  sailor,  the  school,  are,  without  let 
or  hinderance,  visited  by  the  indefatigable  colporteur,  and 
blessings  follow  in  his  track.  Here  lies  our  brightest  an- 
ticipation for  France. 

The  revolution  has  brought  to  light  an  amount  of 
Protestantism  in  France,  which  was  not  before  supposed 
to  exist.  Villages,  where  a  Protestant  could  not  find  a 
congregation,  if  allowed  to  preach  at  all,  have  dismissed 
their  Catholic  cure,  and  called  in  evangelical  ministers. 
All  the  religious  societies  find  large  fields  open  to  their  ef- 
forts, which  they  are  prevented  from  occupying  only  by 
the  want  of  the  pecuniary  resources. 

Thus  has  the  great  idea,  so  happily  conceived — di- 
vinely suggested — in  the  Mayflower,  been  steadily  and 
gradually  developing,  and  never  more  gloriously  than  at 
the  present  moment.  God  may  be  seen  in  its  progress  at 
every  step.  The  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  has  been 
steadily  opening  the  unsealed  Book ;  the  eternal  decrees 
have  been  unfolding,  and  being  executed  by  an  Almighty 


EUROPE    REGENERATED.  381 

Providence,  and  nothing  has  been  able  to  retard  their 
progress.  The  kings  of  the  earth  have  set  themselves, 
and  the  rulers  taken  counsel  against  the  Lord,  and 
against  his  anointed.  But  all  their  counsel  and  wisdom 
have  been  brought  to  naught.  He  that  sitteth  in  the 
heavens  has  had  them  in  derision.  He  has  spoken  to 
them  in  his  w^rath,  and  vexed  them  in  his  sore  displeasure. 
Never  was  the  skill,  sagacity  and  power  of  man  more 
signally  foiled ;  never  the  wisdom  and  power  of  God 
more  illustriously  magnified.  Austria,  France,  Italy,  had 
done  all  that  human  sagacity  and  forecast  could  do,  to 
save  their  thrones  and  their  despotisms  from  the  invading 
tide  of  popular  reform.  But  it  came,  rolling  over  the 
troubled  billows  of  the  Atlantic,  and  all  the  strong-built 
fortresses  of  despotism,  and  triple  lines  of  restrictions  to 
shut  out  liberal  opinions,  and  an  unholy  coalition  with  a 
corrupt  priesthood,  and  the  well  taught  doctrines  of  ab- 
solutism, and  the  profoundest  skill  of  man  and  the  power 
of  the  bayonet  were  but  cobwebs. 

Europe  has  been  swept  over  as  by  a  tornado ;  yet  we 
confidently  look  that  when  this  desolating  tornado  shall 
have  passed  by — desolating  only  to  the  towering  fabrics 
of  aristocratic  pride  and  regal  tyranny,  and  a  grasping, 
ambitious  priestcraft,  we  shall  see  a  fairer  temple  arise, 
the  temple  of  universal  liberty,  adorned  with  intelligence 
and  virtue,  where  men,  politically  and  socially  free,  shall 
rest  from  the  turmoils  of  revolution — the  temple  of  a 
pure  religion,  too,  of  a  free  and  ennobling  Christianity, 
all  radiant  with  the  wisdom  and  purity  and  glory  of 
heaven. 

Such  we  anticipate  as  the  glorious  consummation  of  the 
present  desolating  revolutions  in  Europe.  Anarchy  may 
for  a  time  prevail ;  darkness  and  confusion,  for  a  time, 
cover  those  lands  which  have  so  long  been  covered  with 
darkness  and  confusion,  but  we  look  for  the  time,  as  not 
distant,  when  the  great  hammer  of  Revolution  shall 
have  done  its  work ;  when  the  huge,  confusetl  mass  of 
broken  materials  shall  have  been  cast  into  the  great  cru- 
cible of  the  Almighty  Hand,  and  fused,  and  a  new  order 
of  things  shall  follow  ;  a  remodeling  of  the  nations ;  of 
their  governments  ;  an  establishment  of  universal  liberty 


382  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

and  a  re-installment  of  Christianity  on  the  simplicity  and 
purity  of  her  ancient  foundation,  disenthralled  from  her 
present  cumbrous  trappings  and  carnal  armor ;  when  she 
shall  renew  her  youth,  and  "rejoice  as  a  young  man  to 
run  a  race." 

The  little  ripple,  produced  in  the  great  waters  of  hu- 
man activity  by  the  Puritan  fathers,  two  hundred  years 
ago,  and  which,  to  all  human  sagacity,  seemed  likely  to 
die  away  almost  as  soon  as  produced,  or  to  be  merged  in 
the  billows  of  the  ocean,  becomes  itself  a  mighty  wave, 
rolling  over  the  whole  continent  westward,  and  seeming 
to  renew  its  strength  as  it  crosses  the  Atlantic,  and 
sweeps,  like  an  overwhelming  surge,  over  every  nation  in 
Europe.  Roll  on,  ye  heaven-sent  billows,  till  despotism, 
and  bigotry,  and  priestcraft,  and  every  thing  that  opposes 
an  heaven-born  religion  and  a  divine  liberty,  shall  be 
crushed  beneath  your  power.  May  the  Lord  hasten  it  in 
his  time. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


Remarkable  providences— small  beginnings,  and  great  results.  Abraham.  Joseph. 
Moses.  David.  Ruth.  Ptolemy's  map.  Printing.  The  Mayflower.  Bunyan. 
John  Newton.  The  old  marine.  The  poor  Choctaw  boy.  The  linen  seller.  Rus- 
sian Bible  Society.    The  little  girl's  tears,  and  Bible  Societies.    Conclusion. 

"  Behold,  hoiv  great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kindleth.''^ 

After  having  completed  the  task  originally  contem- 
plated, there  still  remained  in  our  repository,  slips,  mem- 
oranda, a  budget  of  unappropriated  items ;  not  a  few  in- 
stances of  remarkable  providential  interpositions,  which 
did  not  find  a  place  in  the  general  illustration  of  our  sub- 
ject, but  which  all  go  to  illustrate  it.  We  shall,  therefore, 
give  some  of  these  a  place  in  a  concluding  chapter. 

It  cannot  but  interest  the  pious  mind,  and  confirm  the 


SMALL    BEGINNINGS    AND    GREAT    RESULTS.  ,383 

wavering,  doubting  soul,  and  quell  the  rising  fears  of  un- 
belief, and  give  confidence  in  God's  purposes  and  promises, 
and  foster  a  delightful  anticipation  of  the  certain  triurnpli 
of  Christ's  kingdom  on  earth,  to  see  how,  out  of  small  be- 
ginnings, God  is  wont  often  to  bring  the  most  stui)end()us 
results ;  setting  at  naught  the  wisdom  of  man  ;  ordering 
strength  out  of  weakness,  and  making  the  most  wonder- 
ful effects  follow  the  most  unlikely  and  insignificant 
causes.  The  following  instances  will  farther  illustrate 
the  mode  of  providential  agency  in  carrying  out  the  great 
work  of  human  salvation  : 

Scripture  history  is  full  of  illustrations  of  this  sort.  It 
seemed  a  small  matter  that  Ahram  should  emigrate  from 
his  country,  an  adventurer  into  some  strange  land,  he 
knows  not  where.  Thousands  might  have  done  the 
same ;  and  the  fact  of  his  departure  seemed  an  affair 
likely  to  concern  few  beyond  his  own  particular  family. 
But  what  did  God  bring  out  of  this  small  matter  ?  Abram, 
the  chosen  progenitor  of  a  great  nation,  should  take  pos- 
session of  the  promised  land — be  the  father  of  the  faithful — 
his  numerous  seed  be  the  people  with  whom  God  should 
enter  into  covenant ;  with  whom,  deposit  his  revealed 
will ;  with  whom  were  the  promises,  and  through  whom, 
all  nations  should  be  blessed.  That  quiet,  unpretending 
departure  of  the  son  of  Terah  from  Chaldea,  was  the 
humble  beginning  of  the  most  remarkable  series  of  events 
which  go  to  make  up  the  history  of  our  world.  It  was 
the  preliminary  step  to  the  founding  of  the  Jewish  com- 
monwealth ;  a  civil  polity  which  has  exerted  a  more  con- 
trolling influence  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  than 
any  empire  that  ever  existed ;  and  the  preliminary  step, 
too,  to  the  founding  of  the  Jewish  church,  which  was  a 
remarkable  advance  on  any  prior  dispensation  of  grace, 
as  well  as  an  efficient  instrument  in  the  progress  of  hu- 
man redemption.  As  long  as  the  world  stands,  the  in- 
fluence of  that  act  shall  be  felt.  As  long  as  heaven  en- 
dures, the  spirit  of  just  men  made  perfect  shall  bless  God 
for  the  call  of  Abraham,  and  angels  shall  join  in  the  cho- 
rus of  thanksgiving  to  the  Lamb. 

It  was  a  small  matter  that  Joseph  should  dream  a 
dream  ;  or,  that  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh  should  discover, 


384  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

while  bathing  in  the  Nile,  an  ark  of  rushes,  floating  on 
the  river ;  or,  that  the  same  casualty  should  befall  Dan- 
iel, which  fell  to  the  lot  of  many  a  noble  youth  of  that 
day,  to  be  transported  from  his  native  hills  of  Palestine  to 
an  unwelcome  captivity  in  Babylon.  Each  of  these 
seemingly  unimportant  incidents  was  the  first  link  in  a 
chain  of  stupendous  events.  Great  and  noble  purposes 
were  answered  by  the  captivity  of  Joseph  in  Egj^pt,  and 
of  Daniel  in  Babylon  ;  and,  perhaps,  to  no  mere  man  that 
ever  lived,  has  the  church  and  the  world  been  so  much  in- 
debted as  to  Moses.  He  was  a  signal  instrument  in  the 
hands  of  God  for  civil,  social  and  moral  advancement. 
In  that  little  rush  bark  lay  the  germ  of  the  most  extraor- 
dinary reform  and  advancement  in  every  thing  that  per- 
tains to  the  best  interests  of  man,  both  in  this  world  and 
the  world  to  come. 

Or,  we  might  speak  of  David — the  trivial  circumstance 
of  his  being  sent,  when  a  mere  lad,  with  supplies  for  his 
brethren,  who  were  serving  in  Saul's  army,  leads,  very 
unexpectedly,  to  his  successful  encounter  wdth  the  giant ; 
to  his  signalizing  himself  in  the  sight  of  all  Israel,  and  to 
the  illustrious  course  which  he  afterwards  pursued  as  the 
head  of  the  chosen  nation,  and  the  guide  and  teacher  of 
the  church.  He  was  an  illustrious  type  of  Christ,  and  an 
extraordinary  instrument  in  forwarding  the  great  work  of 
human  salvation.  No  one  can  trace  up,  step  by  step,  the 
history  of  the  son  of  Jesse,  from  the  time  that,  in  obscurity 
and  in  his  childish  simplicity,  he  watched  his  father's 
flocks  in  Bethlehem,  till,  with  a  "  perfect  heart,"  he  sat  on 
the  throne  of  Israel,  and  wielded  the  destinies  of  the 
chosen  tribes,  and  not  admire  the  wonder-working  hand 
of  God,  in  so  controlling  human  events  as  to  bring  the 
most  extraordinary  and  far-reaching  results  out  of  the 
most  simple,  and,  aparently,  insignificant  causes. 

Or,  we  might,  ere  this,  have  spoken  of  Ruth.  It  was  a 
little  matter  that  Abimelech,  of  Bethlehem- Judah,  goes  to 
sojourn  in  the  country  of  Moab,  he  and  his  wife  and  two 
sons,  because  of  a  famine.  Many  others  do  the  same. 
Abimelech  dies ;  the  sons  take  wives  of  the  daughters  of 
Moab,  and  soon  die.  The  widowed  mother  turns  her 
eyes  longingly  towards  her  native  land,  and  resolves  to 


PTOLEMY    AND    HIS    MAP.  385 

return.  Her  daughters-in-law  propose  to  accompany 
her.  One  relents,  and  returns  to  her  people  and  her 
idols ;  the  other  perseveres,  and  casts  in  her  lot  with  Na- 
omi and  the  people  of  God.  By  a  felicitous  train  of  cir- 
cumstances, all  beautifully  providential,  Ruth  becomes 
the  wife  of  Boaz,  v/ho  was  the  father  of  Obed,  who  was 
the  father  of  Jesse,  the  father  of  David.  We  trace  back 
to  that  little  Moabitess  girl  the  lineage  of  the  most  illus- 
trious race  of  kings,  of  which  was  David,  the  sweet  singer 
of  Israel,  and  Solomon,  the  great  and  the  wise,  who  raised 
Israel  to  the  acme  of  national  glory ;  yea,  the  lineage  of 
the  King  of  kings,  the  Prince  and  Saviour  of  the  world. 
A  glorious  issue  from  a  most  insignificant  source ! 

Profane  history  furnishes  illustrations  scarcely  less  in- 
teresting, of  the  same  overruling  Hand,  so  controlling  all 
the  events  of  this  lower  world,  as  best  to  subserve  the 
great  scheme  of  redemption. 

A  little  mistake,  (probably  a  mishap  of  ignorance,)  is 
made  by  Ptolemy  in  drawing  up  a  map  of  the  world. 
He  extended  the  eastern  parts  of  the  continent  of  Asia  so 
enormously  as  to  bring  it  round  almost  in  contact  with 
the  western  parts  of  Europe  and  Africa,  of  course  making 
the  distance  across  the  Atlantic  ocean  to  Asia  but  trifling. 
Consulting  this  map,  Columbus  conceived  the  idea  of  ef- 
fecting a  passage  to  India  by  a  westerly  route.  Hence 
the  discovery  of  America.  And  though  he  must  first  dis- 
cover Ptolemy's  mistake,  and  encounter  difficulties  of 
which  in  the  outset  he  had  no  conception,  yet  his  mind 
having  become  fired  with  ardor  for  discovery,  his  prepa- 
rations being  made,  and  his  zeal  not  easily  abated,  he 
pressed  forward,  not  over  a  sea  of  a  few  hundred  miles, 
but  of  thousands,  till  the  expected  land  appeared.  "A 
little  fire"  v/as  kindled  in  his  ardent  soul  for  discovery, 
the  result  was  an  immensely  "  great  matter,"  the  discov- 
ery of  a  new  world,  the  magnitude  of  which  we  have  yet 
scarcely  more  than  begun  to  see,  and  which  we  can 
never  estimate,  till  we  shall  see  the  end  of  the  magnifi- 
cent plans  which  God  has  to  accomplish  in  connection 
with  the  American  continent. 

So  it  was  a  little  matter  that  a  Dutchman  should  cut  a 
few  letters  of  the  alphabet  on  the  hark  of  a  tree,  and  then, 

33 


386  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

by  means  of  ink,  transfer  an  impression  of  them  on  pa- 
per. But  here  was  the  rude  idea  oi printing.  Nor  did  it 
seem  a  much  greater  matter  that  he  should,  (as  the  first 
improvement  of  the  art,)  cut  letters  in  blocks  of  wood, 
which  he  used  for  types,  to  print  whole  pages  for  the 
amusement  of  his  children.  This  was  the  day  of  "  small 
things."  But  if  you  have  a  mind  far-reaching  enough  to 
measure  the  present  power  of  the  press ;  its  power  to 
perpetuate  the  arts  and  sciences  ;  to  control  mind ;  to  in- 
struct and  reform  men,  and,  by  a  thousand  ways,  con- 
tribute to  the  advancement  of  our  race,  you  can  tell  how 
"great  a  matter"  this  art  of  printing  is. 

Again,  a  vessel  of  a  hundred  and  eighty  tons  is  a 
small  affair.  Had  you  seen  her  afar  off  on  the  bosom  of 
the  broad  Atlantic,  a  mere  speck  in  the  horizon,  tossed 
like  a  feather  on  the  huge  waves,  nearing  the  rock-bound 
coast  of  New  England,  you  would  not  have  suspected  her 
laden  with  aught  that  should  particularly  effect  the  des- 
tinies of  the  American  continent.  The  Mayrftovjer  was 
laden  with  about  one  hundred  persons,  men,  women  and 
children,  with  their  implements  of  husbandry  and  trade, 
with  their  books  and  Bibles,  their  preachers  and  teachers. 
A  somewhat  singular  freighting!  yet  even  curiosity 
would  have  dismissed  any  raised  hope  of  signal  good  to 
come  from  such  an  enterprise  when  they  were  seen  to 
land  on  Plymouth  Rock;  to  cast  their  destinies,  at  the 
very  commencement  of  a  stern  New  England  winter,  on 
that  wild,  inhospitable  shore.  To  all  human  sagacity, 
they  must  perish  amidst  the  frosts  and  snows ;  or,  should 
they  escape  the  severity  of  the  climate,  die  with  hunger, 
or  fall  by  savage  hands.  Many  did  die ;  all  suffered  se- 
verely ;  and  many  a  hard  year's  toil,  trial  and  suffering, 
passed  by  before  the  world  could  see  that  the  arrival  and 
settlement  in  this  country  of  our  Pilgrim  fathers  was 
more  than  a  quixotic  expedition  of  a  few  refugees  from 
Europe. 

But  what  has  God  brought  out  of  it  ?  There  was  hid  in 
that  little  nut-shell  of  a  vessel,  the  germ  of  our  free  insti- 
tutions, of  our  present  advanced  condition  of  knowledge 
and  virtue.  Wrapped  up  in  the  bosoms  of  the  men  that 
occupied  the  cabin  of  the  Mayflower,  were  the  principles 


JOHN    BUNYAN.  387 

and  ideas  which,  when  developed  and  clothed  in  real 
acts  and  institutions,  presented  to  the  world  a  form  of 
government,  and  a  pure,  evangelical,  free  Christianity, 
and  a  system  of  popular  education  and  of  morals,  and  an 
industry  and  enterprise,  a^nd  inventive  genius,  which,  un- 
der God,  have  made  our  country  what  she  is.  And  if 
any  one  can  estimate  the  influence  on  our  country  and  on 
the  world,  of  the  practical  working  of  the  principles  im- 
ported in  the  Mayflower,  he  can  tell  us  how  great  a  mat- 
ter has  sprung  from  so  small  a  beginning. 

Puritanism,  wherever  found,  embodies  the  elements  of 
progress  and  improvement.  It  is  this  that  has  given 
character  to  our  nation ;  developed  the  resources  of  our 
country  ;  penetrated  our  mountains  and  brought  out  their 
wealth ;  made  our  rivers  highways ;  secured  our  water- 
power  ;  filled  our  land  with  books  and  schools  and  teach- 
ers, and  made  us  a  great,  noble  and  prosperous  nation. 
It  is  Puritanism  that  has  given  new  form  and  power  to 
the  church ;  that  has  clothed  Christianity  in  a  more  beau- 
tiful garment,  and  breathed  into  her  the  breath  of  life. 

A  lew  individual  instances  may  be  adduced  to  illustrate 
the  same  truth. 

A  sturdy  Puritan  is  serving  in  the  parliamentary  army 
under  Oliver  Cromwell.  At  the  siege  of  Leicester,  in  1645, 
he  is  drawn  out  to  stand  sentinel ;  a  comrade,  by  his  own 
consent,  takes  his  place,  and  is  shot  through  the  head  at  his 
post.  Thus  was  John  Bunyan,  whose  life  had  already 
twice  been  saved  from  the  most  imminent  danger  of 
drowning,  again  spared  an  untimely  death.  Though  long 
since  dead,  he  yet  speaketh  to  millions  in  his  own  lan-^ 
guage,  and  to  as  many  millions  in  other  tongues  ;  one  ot 
the  most  signal  instruments  for  good  that  ever  lived. 
John  Neivton  was  another  chosen  vessel ;  and  how  did 
God  watch  over  him  when  calamity,  pestilence  or  dis- 
ease was  near,  and  shield  him  from  danger,  wiiile  yet  his 
heart  was  enmity  to  God.  We  quote  a  single  instance : 
"  Though  remarkable  for  his  punctuality,  one  day  some 
business  so  detained  him  that  he  came  to  his  boat  much 
later  than  usual,  much  to  the  surprise  of  those  who  had 
observed  his  former  punctuality.  He  went  out  in  his 
boat,  as  heretofore,  to  inspect  a  ship,  but  the  ship  blew  up 


388  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

just  before  he  reached  her."  Had  he  arrived  a  few  min- 
utes sooner,  he  must  have  perished  with  those  on  board. 

Again,  an  obscure  Highlander  boy  is  taught  the  first 
principles  of  our  religion  by  his  humble  parents  amidst 
the  glens  of  Scotland.  He  early  learns  to  revere  the  Bi- 
ble, and  to  honor  God  and  the  religion  of  his  fathers, 
We  next  hear  of  him,  in  mature  years,  a  marine  on  board 
a  British  man-of-war.  A  battle  rages.  The  deck  is 
swept  by  a  tremendous  broadside  from  the  enemy.  Cap- 
tain Haldane  orders  another  company  to  be  "piped  up" 
from  below  to  take  the  place  of  the  dead.  On  coming  up 
they  are  seized  with  a  sudden  and  irresistible  panic  at 
the  mangled  remains  of  their  companions  strewed  on  the 
deck.  On  seeing  this,  the  Captain  swore  a  horrid  oath, 
wishing  them  all  in  hell.  A  pious  old  marine,  (our  High- 
land boy,)  stepped  up  to  him,  and  very  respectfully  touch- 
ing his  hat,  said,  "Captain,  I  beUeve  God. hears  prayer, 
and  if  he  had  heard  your  prayer  just  now,  what  would 
have  become  of  us  ?"  Having  spoke  this,  he  made  a  re- 
spectful bow  and  retired  to  his  place.  After  the  engage- 
ment, the  Captain  calmly  reflected  on  the  words  of  the 
old  marine,  which  so  affected  him  that  he  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  the  claims  of  religion,  and  became  a  pious 
man. 

Through  his  instrumentality  his  brother,  Robert  Hal- 
dane, though  at  first  contemptuously  rejecting  his  kind  at- 
tentions, was  brought  to  reflection,  and  became  a  decided 
Christian. 

James  Haldane,  (the  Captain,)  became  a  preacher,  and 
is  pastor  of  a  church  in  Edingburgh.  Robert  subsequently 
settled  in  Geneva,  and  being  much  affected  by  the  low 
spiritual  condition  of  the  Protestant  church  there,  and 
the  neological  views  of  the  clergy,  he  sought  an  acquaint- 
ance with  the  students  of  the  theological  school,  invited 
them  to  his  house,  gained  their  confidence,  and  finally  be- 
came the  means  of  the  conversion  of  ten  or  twelve, 
among  whom  were  Felix  Neff*,  Henry  Pyt,  and  J.  H. 
Merle  D'Aubigne.  Few  men  have  so  honorably  and 
successfully  served  their  Divine  Master  as  Neflf  and  Pyt ; 
and  few  fill  so  large  a  sphere  in  the  world  of  usefulness  as 
the  President  of  the  theological  school  at  Geneva,  and  the 


DIXON    W.    LEWIS.  389 

author  of  the  immortal  History  of  the  Reformation  ;  and 
few  spots  on  earth  are  so  precious  to  the  truth,  as  the  city 
of  Geneva.  It  was  a  "  httle  fire"  that  kindled  these  great 
hghts,  and  made  the  ancient  and  honorable  city  of  ( 'alvin 
once  more  worthy  of  that  great  name ;  it  was  a  httle 
spark,  struck  from  the  luminous  soul  of  a  poor  Highlander, 
and  well  lodged  in  the  soul  of  his  unpretending  boy. 

After  preaching  successively  and  successfully  in  Berlin, 
Hamburgh  and  Brussels,  D'Aubigne  was,  providentially, 
brought  back  to  Geneva,  his  native  city,  which  event  led 
to  the  establishment  there  of  the  present  evangelical 
"school  of  the  prophets,"  with  D'Aubigne  at  its  head. 
This  seminary  is  the  hope  of  piety  in  Germany ;  the  cit- 
adel of  the  doctrines  of  the  ever  blessed  Reformation  ;  a 
fountain  sending  out  the  healing  streams  of  salvation  to 
all  Europe,  and  to  the  waste  places  of  the  Gentiles. 

A  poor  Choctaw  boy,  (Dixon  W.  Lewis,)  is  seen  wan- 
dering in  the  streets  of  Mobile  ;  is  taken  into  the  house  of 
a  kind  Christian  lady,  and  fed  at  her  table.  The  blessing 
she  piously  asked  before  eating,  impressed  him  deeply, 
though  he  understood  not  a  word  of  it.  He  is  sent  to  a 
Sabbath-school,  learns  to  read,  and  is  converted.  The 
Juvenile  Missionary  Society  of  Mobile  send  him  to  the 
Alabama  Centenary  Institute,  and  thence  to  Emory  Col- 
lege, Georgia.  In  1846,  he  is  licensed  to  preach,  and  ap- 
pointed to  labor  among  a  remnant  of  his  own  tribe,  in 
Kember  County,  Mississippi.  His  people,  though  not  a 
Christian  among  them,  build  him  a  school-house  and  a 
church.  His  school  opens  with  thirty-six  scholars,  from 
the  child  of  five  years  old,  to  the  adult  of  thirty-eight. 
He  instructs  them,  prays  with  them,  and  in  three  months 
thirty-two  of  them  are  converted.  At  the  close  of  his 
conference  year,  he  reports  one  hundred  and  three  con- 
versions, and  a  church  organized  among  the  Choctaws, 
ninety-eight  strong.  His  father  was  among  the  converts, 
and  many  of  his  relations,  and  an  old  man  of  more  than  a 
hundred  years  old. 

A  young  man  from  the  highlands  of  Averne,  in  France, 
is  selling  linen  in  a  neighboring  department ;  is  met  by  a 
Protestant ;  taken  to  a'place  of  evangelical  worship ;  he 
hears,  believes,  embraces  the  truth — exchanges  his  wares 

33* 


390  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

for  Bibles  and  tracts,  which  he  widely  distributes  at  his 
own  expense.  He  writes  to  his  parents  and  friends — the 
declaration  of  his  new  sentiments  excites  a  general  in- 
quiry, and  the  curate  forbids  his  letters  to  be  read.  The 
young  man  in  due  time  returns  ;  his  neighbors  and  friends 
gather  about  him.  The  curate  attempts  to  convince  him 
in  the  presence  of  his  father ;  but  failing,  the  father  and 
the  whole  family,  and  many  others,  are  led  to  forsake 
Rome ;  a  good  work  begins  in  the  neighborhood,  a  mis- 
sionary is  sent  for,  with  the  prospect  that  the  whole  re- 
gion will  be  evangelized. 

Many  have  been  the  instances  of  late  in  France,  where 
the  slightest,  apparently  the  most  insignificant  circum- 
stance, has  thus  been  the  occasion  not  only  of  introducing 
the  gospel  to  a  certain  spot,  but  of  diffusing  it  till  the 
whole  province  be  turned  from  Rome,  and  evangelized. 

In  the  latter  years  of  Alexander,  Emperor  of  Russia, 
there  existed  in  that  vast  and  semi-barbarous  country,  a 
Russian  Bible  Society,  which  distributed,  under  the  fa- 
voring auspices  of  the  Emperor,  a  vast  many  copies  of 
the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and  accomplished  much  good.  In 
1818,  it  had  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  branch  societies, 
and  had  printed  the  Bible  in  twenty-eight  languages. 
But  where,  among  the  mountains  of  that  desert  clime, 
shall  we  look  for  the  little  rill  that  gave  rise  to  this  fer- 
tilizing river  ?  I  see  it  in  the  far-off  region  of  Moscovia ; 
and  its  incipient  streamlet  sparkles  in  the  light  of  the 
flames  of  that  ancient  capital.  The  Rev.  Mr,  P.  is  pass- 
ing through  Moscow  on  his  way  to  England  ;  is  invited 
to  the  house  of  the  Russian  Princess  M.,  who  had  just  re- 
turned from  the  exile  into  which  she  had  been  driven  on 
the  invasion  of  Napoleon,  and  finally  becomes  the 
teacher  of  her  children.  He  employs  the  influence  of  his 
station  for  the  spiritual  interests  of  benighted  Russia. 
And  especially  did  he,  through  the  influence  of  the 
Princess,  obtain  a  rescript  for  the  formation  of  the  first 
Russian  Bible  Society.  It  arose  amidst  the  ashes  of  the 
ancient  capital ;  another  of  those  lights  which  gleamed 
up  from  the  confused  darkness  and  the  fiery  upheavings 
of  tiie  career  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte. 

This  brings  to  our  recollection  the  case  of  a  yet  larger 


GOD    TAKES    TIME.  391 

river  which  arose  from  a  still  smaller  rill :  A  Welch  cler- 
gyman asks  a  Httle  girl  for  the  text  of  his  last  sermon. 
The  child  gave  no  answer — she  only  wept.  lie  ascer- 
tained that  she  had  no  Bible  in  which  to  look  for  the  text. 
And  this  led  him  to  inquire  whether  her  parents  or  neigh- 
bors had  a  Bible  ;  and  this  led  to  that  meeting  in  LonJon 
in  1804,  of  a  few  devoted  Christians,  to  devise  means  to 
supply  the  poor  in  Wales  with  the  Bible,  the  grand  issue  of 
which  was  the  formation  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society — a  society  which  has  already  distributed  more 
than  15,000,000  copies  of  the  Bible — its  issues  now  reach- 
ing nearly  a  million  and  a  half  annually.  And  this,  in 
turn,  led  to  the  formation  of  the  American  Bible  Society, 
and  to  the  whole  beautiful  cluster  of  sister  institutions 
throughout  the  world,  which  are  so  many  trees  of  life, 
bearing  the  golden  fruits  of  immortality  among  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth.  This  mighty  river,  so  deep,  so  broad, 
so  far-reaching  in  its  many  branches,  we  may  trace  back 
to  the  tears  of  that  little  girl.  Behold,  what  a  great  fire 
a  little  matter  kindleth. 

But  it  is  time  that  the  subject  of  this  volume  be  brought 
to  a  conclusion.  And  to  what  conclusion  shall  we  come  ? 
We  can  scarcely  trace  the  footsteps  of  Providence  through 
so  long  a  period  of  time,  and  over  so  varied  a  field, 
without  being  impressed  with  the  majesty,  and  wisdom, 
and  power  of  Him  who  directs  every  wheel  of  the  great 
providential  scheme,  and  brings  to  pass  his  own  predes- 
tined results.  In  the  review  of  our  subject,  we  are  brought, 
at  least,  to  the  following  conclusions  : 

1.  That,  in  working  out  the  stupendous  problem  of  the 
redemption  of  men  and  of  nations,  God  takes  time.  Moral 
revolutions  are  of  slow  development.  The  works  of 
Providence,  more  especially,  perhaps,  than  those  of  crea- 
tion, have  a  direct  reference  to  the  disi)lay  of  the  Divine 
character,  and  to  the  exhibition  of  man's  character.  It 
was  needful,  therefore,  that  these  works  be  prolonged — 
that  the  book  of  Providence  lie  open  continually  for  pe- 
rusal. It  had  been  easy  for  God  to  speak  the  heavens 
and  the  earth  and  all  therein,  into  existence  in  a  moment 
of  time — instantaneously  to  give  form,  fertility  and  beauty 
to  the  earth,  and  matured  perfection  to  the  animal,  mm- 


392  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

eral,  and  vegetable  worlds.  But  God  chose  to  lay  open 
his  works  to  inspection,  that  they  might  be  examined 
piece  by  piece.  It  had  been  easy  for  God  to  have  brought 
his  Son  to  die  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  immediately  on  the  fall 
of  man.  But  a  thousand  sublime  purposes  had  then  failed — 
God's  glory  had  been  eclipsed,  and  man's  redemption  been 
another  thing.  Four  thousand  years  should  be  filled  up 
in  preparation — not  a  change  or  a  revolution  should 
transpire  which  was  not  tributary  to  the  one  great  pur- 
pose. The  Hand  of  God  was  all  this  time  busy  in  well- 
directed  efforts — not  an  abortive  movement,  not  a  mis- 
take, not  a  retrograde  motion,  did  he  make.  All  was 
onward,  and  onward  as  rapidly  as  the  nature  of  the  work 
permitted.     There  was  neither  hurry  nor  delay. 

God,  as  a  perfect  Architect,  is  rearing,  in  this  world  of 
ours,  a  perfect  building.  We  believe  the  golden  age  of 
the  earth  is  to  return,  when  Christianity  shall  be  glorified 
as  one  complete  and  perfect  Temple.  But  this  Temple 
shall  be  constructed  of  pre-existing  materials.  All  sorts 
of  systems,  religions,  politics,  and  ethics,  have  been  per- 
mitted to  exist,  the  perfect  with  the  imperfect,  the  good 
with  the  bad.  And  it  has,  in  all  past  time,  been  the  work 
of  the  Hand  of  Providence,  to  overrule,  select,  reject,  and 
out  of  the  good  and  acceptable,  to  rear  the  perfect  build- 
ing. Our  present  civilization,  and  systems  of  free  gov- 
ernment, and  of  morals,  are  results  of  former  facts,  sys- 
tems and  experiences — structures  formed  from  the  ruins 
of  former  edifices — compounds,  from  various  gone-by  in- 
gredients ;  all  thrown  into  the  crucible  of  human  prog- 
ress, fused,  and  run  in  a  new  mould.  And  may  we  not, 
philosophically  speaking,  say  the  same  of  our  religion  ? 
Shall  not  the  perfect  building  be  reared  in  the  same  man- 
ner ? — be  wrought  out  of  materials,  selected  and  brought 
together  by  the  ever-busy  Hand  of  Providence,  from  every 
system,  organization,  form  of  government  and  religion, 
which  ever  existed  ? — the  eternal  mind  so  overruling  the 
whole  as  to  bring  good  out  of  all  ?  If  so,  we  see  reason 
enough  why  God  should  take  time  to  consummate  his  one 
great  final  purpose. 

Again,  it  had  been  easy  for  God  to  settle  his  people  at 
once  in  the  goodly  land,  without  the  migratory  life  of  the 


INDIRECT    RESULTS.  :J93 


oin 


Patriarchs,  or  the  bondage  of  Egypt,  or  deUverance  fr( 
the  hand  of  Pharaoh,  or  the  forty  years'  wanderings,  hard- 
ships and  temptations  of  the  wilderness  ;  yet  tlieir  settle- 
ment in  Palestine  would,  then,  have  been  no  more  than 
the  making  stationary  any  other  wandering  tribes  from 
the  desert.  The  history  of  that  whole  eventful  period 
w^as  full  of  God  and  his  grace,  full  of  man  and  his  rebeirMjii. 
Or  the  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century  might  have 
been  the  work  of  a  day,  instead  of  a  result  of  three  cen- 
turies' preparation.  Or  the  teeming  millions  of  Asia 
might  have  received  the  gospel  without  a  train  of  pre- 
paratory events  running  through  several  centuries,  ex- 
hibiting the  wickedness  and  the  withering  influences  of 
idolatry  ;  the  inefhcacy  of  every  conceivable  form  of  error 
and  false  religion,  to  ameliorate  the  civil,  social  and  reli- 
gious condition  of  a  nation ;  and  finally  producing  the 
conviction  that  nothing  short  of  a  pure  Christianity  can 
do  it.  Or  the  dark  continent  of  Africa  might  have  been 
evangelized  in  a  single  generation,  instead  of  the  pro- 
tracted, mysterious  process,  which  Providence  has  pur- 
-sued,  administering  a  burning  rebuke  on  Africa  for  her 
long-protracted  sins,  as  a  grossly  wicked  abettor  of  the 
slave-trade,  yet  visiting  the  captives  in  their  cruel  bondage, 
and  by  his  converting  grace  preparing  thousands  to  re- 
turn to  that  ill-fated  land,  laden  with  the  best  of  Heaven's 
blessings  for  poor,  forsaken  Africa.  Had  the  shorter  pro- 
cess been  pursued,  God's  glory  and  his  abounding,  con- 
descending grace  had  been  but  sparingly  developed,  and 
man's  sin  but  partially  exposed.     God  takes  time. 

2.  We  may  infer,  from  facts  stated,  that  often  the  ori- 
ginal and  direct  object  which  men  have  in  view  in  their 
endeavors  to  do  good,  or  to  benefit  themselves,  is  of  less 
importance  than  the  incidental  and  indirect  objects  which 
Providence  brings  out  of  it.  We  may  be  doing  the 
greatest  good  where  we  least  suspect  it.  The  original 
and  direct  object  for  which  Columbus  entered  u\)on  the 
adventurous  voyage  across  the  Atlantic,  was  to  find  a 
shorter  passage  to  India.  The  incidental  advantage  which 
was  gained  by  the  prosecution  of  the  enterprise,  was  the 
discovery  of  the  New  World.  The  alchemists  toiled  for 
generations,  in  pursuit  of  the  philosopher's  stone :  their 


394  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

original  and  direct  object  was  of  no  value.  Yet  their  re- 
searches incidently  led  to  the  discovery  of  facts,  in  con- 
nection with  the  properties  and  composition  of  bodies, 
which  served  as  the  foundation  of  the  science  of  modern 
chemistry.  The  inventor  of  printing  had  no  object  in  view 
beyond  the  amusement  of  his  children  or  of  himself;  or, 
at  farthest,  his  own  emolument.  The  incidental  benefit's 
are  world-wide,  and  past  all  human  calculation.  Luther 
buckles  on  the  harness  as  a  Reformer,  simply  to  oppose  an 
abuse  in  the  sale  of  indulgences ;  at  first,  perhaps,  incited 
only  by  the  fact  that  that  sale  was  likely  to  be  monopo- 
lized by  the  Dominican  monks.  The  incidental  advantage 
which  grew  out  of  the  original  controversy,  was  the  ever 
glorious  Reformation.  Some  men  toil  all  their  life  long  to 
accumulate  wealth,  a  penny  of  which  they  will  not  give 
to  the  Lord,  yet  the  Lord  takes  the  whole. in  the  end. 
Others,  like  Saul  of  Tarsus,  toil  for  years  to  perfect  them- 
selves in  learning  for  some  selfish  end  ;  God  frustrates  them 
in  that,  yet  makes  them  accomplish  an  infinitely  more 
worthy  end  in  the  building  up  of  the  Redeemer's  king- 
dom. Nations  engage  in  expensive,  bloody  wars,  for  most 
unworthy,  trifling  purposes ;  He  that  sitteth  King  of  the 
nations  brings  out  of  such  wars  incidental  advantages  of 
a  noble  and  enduring  character.  One  nation  is  thereby 
opened  to  receive  the  gospel,  and,  in  another,  mountain- 
like obstacles  to  the  setting  up  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
are  removed.  Man,  in  his  schemes  and  operations,  means 
one  thing ;  God,  in  his  plans  and  agencies,  means  quite 
another  thing.     Hence, 

3.  We  may  with  perfect  confidence  leave  results  with 
God.  God  will  complete  what  he  has  begun.  Not  one 
of  his  purposes  can  fail.  Man  sees  but  a  little  way  ;  God 
sees  to  the  end.  Examples  already  referred  to  will  illus- 
trate the  thought.  Little  did  the  young  Chaldean  ad- 
venturer anticipate  the  illustrious  race  of  kings  that  should 
descend  from  his  loins,  or  his  more  illustrious  spiritual 
seed.  Little  did  he  conceive  that  his  departure  from 
Chaldea  was  the  first  link  of  a  most  brilliant  series  of 
events.  Little  conscious  were  the  brethren  of  Joseph, 
when  they  nefariously  sold  their  brother  into  slavery ;  or 
Pharaoh's  daughter,  when  she  drew  the  babe  Moses  from 


RESULTS    ARK    GOD  S.  'M)^) 

the  rush  cradle;  or  the  captors  of  Daniel,  when  they 
forced  him  into  exile,  that  theirs  were  iJreliininary  sl('|)s 
to  the  establishment  of  a  power  which  has  airain  and  ajrain 
revolutionized  the  world,  and  shall  contiime  to  revohi- 
tionize  it  till  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  heconie  the 
kingdom  of  our  Lord.  Little  did  Columbus  tliink  of  the 
amazing  consequences  which  have  resulted  to  manliind 
from  his  adventures;  or  the  Pilgrim  fathers,  the  grand  and 
truly  astonishing  effects  of  their  zeal,  and  faith,  and  love 
of  liberty,  in  their  consequences  on  the  history  of  man- 
kind ;  or  Faust,  in  his  invention  of  the  art  of  printing  ;  or 
Luther,  in  his  bold  essays  to  reform  a  corru})t  church. 
And  that  little  band  of  Christians  met  in  London  to  de- 
vise means  of  supplying  the  poor  in  Wales  with  the  Bible, 
were  as  far  from  foreseeing  that  their  deliberations  sliould 
result  in  the  formation  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  which,  with  affiliated  societies,  (all  her  own  le- 
gitimate daughters,)  should  so  soon  enter  on  the  work  of 
giving  the  sacred  volume  to  the  entire  world.  And  as 
little  did  Robert  Raikes  think  what  an  instrument  for  the 
renovation  of  the  world  he  had  originated,  w^hen,  having 
gathered  about  him  a  few  beggarly  children  in  the  by- 
ways of  London,  he  embodied  the  idea  suggested  by  a 
benignant  Providence  into  the  form  of  a  Sabbath-school. 
A  child  may  set  a  stone  rolling  which  the  mightiest  man 
cannot  stop. 

We  look  back  through  nearly  sixty  centuries,  and  see 
with  w4iat  a  steady,  irresistible  step  God  has  carried  for- 
ward the  great  work.  Not  a  fixilure  has  occurred — not 
a  mistake — not  an  obstacle  that  could  stand  in  the  way. 
The  mountain  has  been  made  a  plain  when  He  would 
pass  over.  Kingdoms  and  dominions — the  stateliest 
fabrics  of  human  power  and  skill  have  been  as  nothing 
before  him — as  the  cobweb  in  the  path  of  the  giant. 
What  perfect  confidence  may  we  then  have  that  God  will 
complete  what  he  has  begun  ;  and  especially  as  we  now 
see  he  is,  as  never  before,  bringing  all  things  into  sub- 
serviency to  the  one  great  end.  Learning,  skill,  inven- 
tions, improvements,  discoveries,  governments,  all  human 
activity  is  so  shaped,  or  such  a  tendency  given  to  it,  that 


396  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

it  is  made,  in  an  unwonted  manner,  to  subserve  the  work 
of  human  salvation. 

4.  Another  conclusion  to  which  we  arrive  is,  that  the 
church  is  safe.  No  opposition  has  ever  prevailed,  no 
weapon  formed  against  her,  prospered.  Ten  heathen  per- 
secutions raged,  and  their  fire  was  hot  enough  to  dissolve 
any  thing  but  God's  Church.  In  the  last,  her  enemies 
boasted  that  "now  they  had  done  the  business  for  the 
Christians,  and  overthrown  the  Christian  Church."  Yet, 
in  the  midst  of  their  triumph,  the  church  prevails,  while 
the  persecuting  power,  the  great  Roman  Empire,  is 
brought  to  nought.  Again,  the  Arian  heresy  threatens  to 
swallow  up  the  church ;  or  the  beast  on  the  seven  hills 
makes  war  on  the  saints,  and  seems  to  overcome  them ; 
or  the  unnumbered  hosts  of  the  Saracens  spread  like  lo- 
custs over  the  Christian  world,  and  seem  for  a  time  com- 
missioned to  annihilate  it ;  or  Protestantism  is  assailed  by 
an  Invincible  Armada ;  or  likely  to  be  blown  up  by  the 
Gunpowder  Plot  in  a  Protestant  Parliament.  Yet  all  these 
mad  endeavors  avail  nothing.  God  signally  appeared  for 
the  deliverance  of  his  people,  and  turned  the  machinations 
of  the  wicked  against  themselves. 

And  so  it  has  been  in  every  age  of  the  Church.  She 
has  outrode  every  storm,  though  shaken  by  the  thunder- 
bolt and  scathed  by  the  lightning.  No  confederation  has 
been  half  so  much  assailed  or  opposed  with  half  so  much 
power  and  virulence ;  none  has  stood  so  firm,  none  with- 
stood so  long.  And,  as  it  has  been,  so  it  shall  be. 
"  Judgment  shall  return  unto  righteousness" — the  seeming 
darkness  and  disorders  of»  Providence  shall  issue  in  the 
furtherance  of  the  cause  of  righteousness — the  progress 
of  truth.  All  shall  be  so  overruled  that  the  right  and  the 
good  shall  triumph.  The  righteous  shall  see  it  and  be 
glad.  The  arm  of  Omnipotence  is  engaged  to  carry  for- 
ward his  cause — to  make  every  one  feel  that  if  he  be  on 
the  side  with  God,  on  the  side  of  truth  and  righteousness, 
he  is  safe.  The  stars  in  their  courses  may  fight  against 
him — all  may  appear  dark,  and  confused,  and  adverse — 
the  tempests  may  beat,  the  floods  come,  yet  his  founda- 
tion standeth  sure.  It  is  the  rock.  His  house  will  not 
fall.     All  his  earthly  interests  may  fail,  the  earth  be  burned 


THE    GREAT    CRISIS.  397 

up,  the  elements  be  dissolved,  yet  the  man  who  li.is  Gud 
for  his  portion  can  suffer  no  loss.  His  treasure  lies  too 
high— his  home  beyond  these  temporary  turmoils  of  lime 
— his  interests  are  all  in  the  safe  kee})ing  of  One  who 
never  allows  a  single  purpose  of  his  to  fail. 

But  on  the  other  hand,  how  different  is  the  condition 
of  the  ungodly  man  ?  He  may  seem  to  prosper  for  a 
while  ;  but  his  prosperity  is  as  the  "  baseless  fabric  of  a 
dream."  It  has  no  foundation.  Be  it  riches,  honors, 
pleasures,  any  thing  in  which  God  and  eternity  do  not 
enter,  it  will  change  with  the  changes  of  time.  It  hath 
no  permanence. 

5.  Again,  w^e  are  led  to  conclude  that  all  human  affairs, 
and  the  great  work  of  redemption,  are  approaching  a 
crisis.  The  lines  of  Providence  seem  fast  converging  to 
some  great  point  of  consummation.  Great  events  thicken 
upon  us.  Events  which  were  wont  to  occupy  centuries, 
are  now  crowded  into  less  decades  of  years.  The  wheels 
of  Providence  run  swift  and  high,  far  outstripping  in  their 
magnificent  consummations  any  thing  that  a  few  years  ago 
imagination  could  conceive  or  faith  realize.  We  now  see 
the  whole  world  in  motion,  animated  by  a  common  soul ; 
and  that  soul  is  Providence.  All  is  gloriously  moving 
forward  t#  a  destined  point  ;  and  that  point  the  next  great 
step  of  advancement  in  the  sublime  economy  of  grace. 
There  is  commotion  among  the  hosts  of  Rome.  The 
waters  of  the  mystic  Euphrates  are  glimmering  for  the 
last  time  in  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun.  The  Pagan  world 
is  shaken  to  its  very  centre — its  temples  crumbling,  its 
idols  falling,  its  darkness  dissipating,  and,  as  never  before, 
it  is  prepared  to  receive  the  gospel.  And  the  spirit  of  life 
is  passing  over  the  face  of  the  stagnant  Christianity  of 
the  East,  and  preparing  those  lapsed  and  corruj)t  churches 
once  more  to  arise  and  let  their  light  shine.  And  there 
is  discovered,  too,  a  shaking  among  the  dry  bones  of  Israel, 
a  spirit  of  renovation  and  life,  betokening  the  long  night 
of  their  dispersion  and  affliction  to  be  nearly  passed,  and 
the  day  of  their  redemption  at  hand. 

In  correspondence,  too,  with  all  this,  there  is  a  move- 
ment in  the  sacramental  host,  and  a  counter  move- 
ment in  the  camp   of    the   enemy,  both    heralding  the 

34 


398  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

approach  of  the  same  crisis.  This  heaving  of  the  lungs 
of  a  new  spiritual  life  in  the  Church — this  recent 
movement  of  the  moral  muscles  of  the  body  of  Christ, 
has  given  birth  to  a  delightful  progeny  of  benev- 
olent associations,  brought  into  being  just  in  time  to 
meet  the  demand  created  by  the  movements  of  Provi- 
dence in  opening  the  field.  The  Church  has  at  length 
roused  from  her  deep  sleep  of  apathy  over  the  Pagan 
world,  and  is  extending  the  arms  of  her  compassion  to  the 
ends  of  the  earth,  and  reaching  the  bread  of  life  to  wait- 
ing millions.  While,  on  the  other  hand,  the  enemies  of 
the  truth  -are  on  the  alert,  ready  to  contest  with  the  saints 
the  last  inch  of  ground.  The  adherents  of  infidelity,  error 
and  Anti-christ,  are  gathering  up  their  strength,  com- 
bining their  forces,  and  preparing  to  come  up  to  the  last 
great  battle.  "  Satan  is  driven  from  one  strong  hold  to 
another  and  foiled  at  every  turn.  Expedients  are  faifing 
him.  He  stirs  up  war,  and  it  becomes  the  occasion  of 
spreading  the  kingdom  of  peace.  He  excites  persecution, 
but  instead  of  exterminating  the  saints  of  God,  it  brings 
about  full  liberty  of  conscience,  and  favors  the  organiza- 
tion of  independent  Christian  churches.  He  panders  to 
superstitions,  by  devices  so  successful  in  the  dark  ages, 
but  only  provokes  another  reformation  in  tke  land  of 
Luther.  His  old  arts  will  not  serve  him  now."  All 
things  betoken  the  approach  of  another  great  crisis  in  the 
work  of  human  redemption. 

6.  Another  conclusion,  therefore,  to  which  we  are 
brought,  is,  that  although  the  world  is  soon  to  be  given  to 
Christ,  yet  there  shall  come  a  dark  day  first.  The  enemy 
has  usurped  the  dominion  of  this  world.  He  is  the  god 
of  this  world ;  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air. 
Though  overcome,  he  is  not  yet  dispossessed  of  his 
usurped  inheritance.  The  strong  man  armed  is  still 
spoiling  the  goods.  Often  he  is  made  to  feel  the  weight 
of  a  stronger  arm,  and,  like  a  chafed  lion,  is  roused  in  his 
wrath.  Truth  is  mighty.  He  fears  its  invading  footsteps 
as  he  sees  its  irresistible  progress.  Yet  he  will  not  yield 
the  possession  of  six  thousand  years  without  a  last  des- 
perate conflict.  Nothing  so  soon  brings  on  this  conflict 
as  the  progress  of  truth.     It  is  but  the  legitimate  effect  of 


THE    WORK    or    THE    AGE.  ;ji»0 

the  diffusion  of  the  gospel.  And  as  the  pn)])nbilitv  in- 
creases, that  Christianity  shall  fill  the  whole  earth,  that 
all  shall  be  brought  into  subjection  to  Christ,  all  learniiiir, 
wealth,  earthly  power,  manners,  maxims,  habits,  human 
governments,  and  whatever  belongs  to  man — the  ra<^e  of 
the  enemy  becomes  more  and  more  rampant ;  and  as  lie 
sees  his  territory  diminishing,  and  his  last  foothold  threat- 
ened, he  will  make  his  last  grand  rally,  and  never  yield 
while  there  remains  a  forlorn  hope.  The  friends  and  the 
enemies  of  the  truth  are  no  doubt  fast  bringing  things  to 
a  grand  and  dreadful  issue,  which  shall  for  a  little  time 
cover  Zion  with  a  cloud,  but  which  shall  soon  bring  her 
out  fair  as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an 
army  with  banners. 

7.  The  missionary  work  is  the  great  work  of  the  age. 
It  is  the  work  to  which  God  by  his  providence  is  espe- 
cially caUing  his  church  at  the  present  day.  Our  age  is 
not  characterized  by  wars  and  rumors  of  wars,  nor  even 
by  great  political  revolutions.  In  nothing  is  it  so  re- 
markable as  for  increased  facilities  for  the  spread  of  the 
gospel,  and  the  actual  diffusion  of  civilization  and  Chris- 
tianity by  means  of  Christian  missions.  Few  are  fully 
aware  what  has  been  the  progress  of  evangelization  since 
the  world  was  hushed  into  peace  on  the  plains  of  Water- 
loo. But  a  single  generation  has  passed,  yet  the  moral 
changes  which  the  world  has  undergone  during  this  short 
period,  are  truly  astonishing.  The  historian  who  shall 
write  the  history  of  this  period,  will  needs  fix  on  the  work 
of  evangelizing  the  heathen,  as  the  great  work  of  the  age. 
Infidelity  and  fanaticism  concede  this,  when  they  so 
carefully  hold  up  the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of 
man  and  the  conversion  of  the  world,  as  the  Ultima 
Thule  of  all  their  systems,  and  of  all  their  wild  or  wicked 
devices.  No  one  would  now  think  to  hazard  a  new 
scheme,  which  should  not  hold  up  the  spread  of  civiliza- 
tion, knowledge,  and  Christianity,  as  the  consummation 
to  be  reached. 

8.  The  present  is  the  harvest  age  of  the  world.  A  busy 
and  all-controlling  Providence  has  been  preparing  the 
ground  for  centuries  past,  and  sowinic  the  seed,  and 
watering  it  with  the  heavenly  dew,  and  warming  it  with 


400  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

the  rays  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness.  He  has,  too,  been 
preparing  laborers  for  such  a  harvest,  and  now  he  is 
gathering  in  the  sheaves.  Indeed,  for  the  last  thousand 
years,  all  things  have  been  preparing  for  this  very  age. 
Midnight  darkness  then  covered  the  earth.  That  was 
the  crisis  of  spiritual  night.  From  that  gloomy  epoch 
causes  have  been  at  work;  revolutions  taking  place;  in- 
struments, resources,  facihties  accumulating,  which  have 
all  been  employed  to  bring  about  just  such  a  day  as  the 
present.  The  lines  of  Providence  seem  converging  here. 
The  labors  of  Wicklif,  Huss,  and  Jerome,  the  ever-glorious 
Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century,  prepared  agencies, 
established  principles,  recovered,  from  the  rubbish  of  a  cor- 
rupt church,  doctrines,  and  restored  to  the  church  vitality 
and  spiritual  vigor,  all  of  which  seem  to  have  been  look- 
ing forward  to  the  present  age.  The  revolutions  and 
activities,  and  the  great  and  good  men  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  were  especially  contributing  to  this  same  end. 
Baxter,  Bunyan,  Doddridge,  Flavel,  and  the  hosts  of 
giants  of  those  days,  were  laboring  for  our  times.  Great 
and  good  men  are  always  as  the  tree  of  life  which  bare 
twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  yielded  her  fruit  every 
month,  whose  leaves  were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations; 
yet  those  men  seemed  more  especially  to  have  been 
raised  up  for  our  age.  Never  more  than  now,  perhaps, 
were  the  writings  of  those  men  fulfilling  their  divine 
commission. 

And,  in  like  manner,  the  wars  and  political  movements  of 
the  eighteenth  century,  with  all  its  intellectual  and  moral 
advances,  were  contributing  to  the  same  consummation. 
The  American  Revolution  ;  the  conquests  of  the  English 
in  the  East ;  and  the  career  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte, 
were  all  far-reaching  events,  and  immensely  influential 
in  bringing  in  the  present  harvest  season  of  the  church. 
By  these  means  modern  liberty  found  habitation  and 
rest ;  the  territories  of  Paganism  were  thrown  open  to 
the  benevolent  action  of  the  church  ;  and  many  a  for- 
midable obstacle  was  broken  down  by  that  hammer  of 
Providence,  the  hero  of  Corsica.  Before  him  quailed  the 
despotisms  of  Europe  ;  Rome  shook  on  her  seven  hills, 
and  the  internal  weakness  of  the  Turkish  empire  was  re- 


CONCLUSION.  401 

vealed,  and  from  that  time  Mohammedanism  began  to 
decline. 

9.  Finally,  if  such  be  the  indications  on  the  part  oi' 
Providence,  such  the  facilities  and  resources  secured  for 
evangelizing  the  world,  and  such  the  preparedness  of  the 
world  to  receive  the  gospel,  what  is  the  duty  of  the 
CHURCH,  what  the  duty  of  every  individual  Christian  at 
such  a  time,  and  under  such  circumstances  ? 

This  was  announced  as  the  third  general  topic  of  the 
present  treatise.  But  our  volume  has  already  swollen  to 
its  prescribed  dimensions.  We  may  not,  therefore,  enter 
upon  any  discussion  of  this  topic,  but  we  leave  it  with 
the  pious  mind  to  i?ifer  his  duty  in  the  solemn  and  inter- 
esting circumstances  in  which,  at  the  present  moment, 
he  finds  himself  providentially  placed. 

We  possess  advantages  which  neither  the  apostolic 
age,  nor  any  subsequent  age  ever  yet  enjoyed.  Such 
improvements,  inventions,  discoveries,  facilities  of  com- 
munication and  intercourse  with  all  parts  of  the  world, 
have  been  the  heritage  of  no  preceding  age.  The  Print- 
ing Press,  the  Mariner's  Compass,  modern  improvements 
in  Navigation,  and  Magnetic  Telegraphs,  were  equally 
unknown  in  the  early  ages  of  Christianity.  Different 
portions  of  the  world  were  estranged,  one  portion  not 
even  knowing  of  the  existence  of  the  other.  Commerce 
was  restricted  to  a  small  portion  of  the  earth's  population, 
and  education  was  confined  to  a  few  individuals  of  a  few 
nations.  Science  had  scarcely  been  made  to  favor 
Christianity  at  all,  and  governmental  power  was  generally 
opposed  to  it.  Liberty,  the  only  political  atmos[)here  in 
which  Christianity  can  flourish,  scarcely  existed,  even  in 
name.  The  literature  of  the  world,  too,  and  its  })liiloso- 
phy,  were  opposed  to  the  progress  of  Christianity. 

But  in  the  revolutions  of  Providence,  how  different  it 
is  now!  What  immense  advantages  does  Christianity 
now  enjoy  for  its  universal  propagation  and  establishment 
over  the  whole  earth.  The  mighty  power  of  God  is 
everywhere  at  work,  accomplishing  the  one  great  end 
for  which  the  earth  was  made.  All  things  are  being 
brought  into  subserviency  to  this  one  ])urpose.  God  has 
risen  up,  and  by  the  strong  arm  of  his  providence,  is  pre- 

34* 


402  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

paring  to  give  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  to  his  Son. 
The  church  has  never  before  been  brought  into  a  position 
so  favorable  for  the  conquest  of  the  world. 

What,  then,  is  the  duty  of  the  church?  and  of  the 
individual  Christian  ?  She  should  work  when  and  where 
God  works.  She  should  follow  the  leadings  of  Provi- 
dence ;  take  possession  of  every  inch  of  territory  open 
for  her  occupancy ;  send  a  missionary,  plant  a  mission, 
wherever  she  may ;  erect  a  school  wherever  pupils  may 
be  found,  and  give  the  Bible  and  the  religious  book  where- 
ever  she  may  meet  the  reader.  The  harvest  of  the  world 
is  at  hand  ;  the  fields  are  ripe ;  every  disciple  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  a  reaper.  Each  has  his  own  sphere,  and  befit- 
ting capacities,  and  opportunities  for  using  his  capacities. 
He  must,  therefore,  serve  his  Divine  Master  in  his  own 
sphere;  which,  if  he  do  with  fidelity,  his  rcward  is  as 
sure,  and  he  may  feel  as  delightful  a  confidence  that  he 
is  performing  a  useful  and  important  work,  as  the  man 
who  may  be  laboring  in  a  very  different  sphere.  Causes 
may  be  at  work,  or  instruments  be  preparing,  in  some 
obscure  corner,  which  we  may  help  mature ;  and  which, 
when  matured,  become  potent  engines,  to  build  up  truth 
or  demolish  error.     Duties  are  ours  ;  events,  God's. 

The  work  to  be  done  is  as  varied  as  it  is  vast  and  im- 
portant. None  can  be  idle  for  the  want  of  an  appropriate 
work ;  none,  whether  high  or  low,  rich  or  poor,  can  be 
idle  innocently.  God  now,  as  never  before,  is  calling 
every  professed  disciple  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  stand  in  his 
lot ;  to  do  his  duty  as,  in  providence,  it  now  devolves 
upon  him.  The  Great  Captain  is  rallying  his  forces  for 
the  great  battle.     He  expects  every  man  to  do  his  duty. 

Ride  on,  victorious  King,  conquering  and  to  conquer, 
till  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  be  thine,  and  thou 
shalt  reign  forever  and  ever. 


mM^ 


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